What is so remarkable about equanimity during pain and ordeals? A person’s ability to remain calm and composed even throughout a stressful situation.
I recently noticed some ads have taken the “we’re all going to look back at this and laugh” theme; or better yet, “let’s find something to laugh about”. This got me to thinking about my second culture.
I was born in Southern Brazil to American parents.
I’m one of the few lucky people who has dual citizenship. More remarkable are those with triple or more citizenship. Yes, there is a point and connection to equanimity during pain and ordeals. Hang with me as I set up the scenario.
I lived in and visited developing areas of Brazil. Most were places where electricity was iffy at best and potable water was obsolete. As a child, I was clueless about the political aspect of the Brazilian government. My parents provided a clean home and good food. I (mostly) attended an international school, with all kinds of international friends. There were 7 or more different ethnicities and cultures represented in my class of 20-30 students. Each bringing their own views, practices, and life normalcies.
Returning to Brazil (24 years later), I was floored by the conditions the people lived in and the corruption of the law enforcement. Really lack thereof – the enforcement, not the corruption – there was plenty of that. Realizing these things had been present as a child and now seeing them as an adult forced me to observe the people more closely.
What I found was remarkable equanimity during pain and ordeals.
Pain and ordeals are a constant in their lives. And because they are constant they must learn to “find something to laugh about”.
We don’t like pain. It would be nice if there was plenty of money and clean drinking water available for everyone. It would be nice if we could snap our fingers and the pandemic were over. We can cry over spilled milk or we can have a different emotion. When we train our thoughts to view other outcomes of whatever life is handing us, we too can have remarkable equanimity during pain and ordeals. It really is a mindset.