Pain is Awareness

We cannot live life without pain. It's just not possible, really. Sometime in life we are going to experience the true meaning of pain, and we just have to hope that we'll be prepared when the time comes.
I have come to the realization that as much as I hate to feel pain, feeling pain does have it's advantages. Pain is awareness, it's a sign that you're still alive. If you can feel pain, there is hope of overcoming the obstacles in front of you. Where there is life, there's hope.
And where would happiness be if we did not have sadness and pain to compare it to? Just like two different colors can draw out the hues of the other, so does pain and sadness draw out true joy. It may take awhile, this is true, but the best things in life are worth waiting for, and I don't see why happiness is any different.
In this day and age we have become so enthralled by what we view as happiness, that we wish the sadness to go away. Nobody likes to be sad. But you know what? Life would be pretty boring if you were happy all the time. What's the point in living if there's no variety? No life is perfect, but that's part of the joy of living. Each person has their own strengths and weaknesses, we just need to find them.
Pain is an unwelcome guest, but a necessary one. And so while I wish it would go away, I will live with it while it's here. Partially because I see no other alternative, and partically because I firmly believe that sadness makes the joy and happiness in life sweeter. And isn't that important?
So I will put up with pain, because I know that over the horizon is happiness waiting to happen, if I just give it a chance.