Hurt: (verb) to feel or suffer (or cause) bodily or mental pain or distress
Originally I put pain on my "master list" of words I wanted to write about, but after today - I feel the need to write about hurt. Hurt is different than pain. I think the difference between hurt and pain is that we use pain for distinct and specific feelings, while hurt is for more general, broad discomfort. Hurt is also often used as a verb, while pain is rarely used that way. I guess I also tend to think of the hurt as the action and the pain as the outcome.
Let me tell you, words can hurt. Actions can hurt. And an organ dying can hurt. In their own right, they each cause suffering and they each cause distress. I tend to do much better with pain, I have an extremely high threshold for pain; borderline non-existent. I think that comes from the days and weeks of my pancreas dying inside of me. That pain was excruciating; combined with the recovery from my type of surgery - I can handle pain.
Words - not so much. They stick. They haunt. When you have a smidge of OCD, and generally over-thinking nature, you can relive those words over and over again.
Why did I choose this word? To be completely honest, because today I am hurting. I am hurting for a number of reasons, and (THANKFULLY) none of which are bodily pain. It is all of the psychological realm; mental distress. I think it's important to differentiate the two (hurt and pain) and I think it's also important to think about what we say and how we say things to other people. If words are currency of communication - how are you spending your money? Are you being thoughtful and kind? Are you being gracious and patient? Are you being understanding and compassionate? Are you thoughtful with your words? If not, I wish you would be.
KPT was born in hurt - when Dr. Z first said "you have to keep pushing through" and he was right, I did - I had to push through the hurt to get to the other side. It works and you will be grateful you did, but my gosh - it is damn hard when you are in the midst of it. It hurts! You gotta keep pushing through.