A Love Letter to Headaches
You’ve made me a believer.
Dear Headaches,
You’ve returned with a vengeance.1 Why?
After being by my side daily for 20 months, you weaved your way in and out of my life for the next six months. Then, you vanished.
Poof!
Gone.
It was the most glorious surprise of my life.
Although it was unseasonably warm in October, my voice was improving. You said hello only a handful of times. Each one was quick. Harmless.
Then, November 7 arrived. You arrived. I slowly shook my head dozens of times in surprise. I was in disbelief. November was supposed to be the beginning of the end.
The next day, you were nowhere to be found.
On Saturday, November 9, you knocked me out cold. As Sawyer from LOST once said, “A tiger never changes its stripes.” I guess you’re a tiger. I met you 28 months ago, and you haven’t changed.
For the three weeks, you’ve continued to weave your way in and out of my life. How long will you be back for? How many times will you knock me out?
It doesn’t matter. You’ve made me a believer.
Dan Reynolds sings it best in the Imagine Dragons hit song “Believer”:
Pain!
You made me a, you made me a believer, believer
Pain!
You break me down, you build me up, believer, believer
Pain!
Oh let the bullets fly, oh let them rain
My life, my love, my drive, it came from...
Pain!
You made me a, you made me a believer, believer
Pain—physical and mental—is the hurdle. It’s the boulder in the middle of the road. It gets you moving. Forces change. Wakes you up. Enables gratitude. Causes growth.
Pain is a problem, but all problems can be solved. Happiness stems from solving problems.
You, headache, are a problem. You and your cousins—shortness of breath, fatigue, lightheadedness—have been a problem for 28 months. But you’ll be solved. You’ll be gone forever soon enough.
And when you’re gone, I’ll be running as fast as the speed of light.
This was first drafted on November 14, 2024.