That’s always what they were. As a kid, I’d come to complain to my mom about yet another aching part of my body, and the reason was always growing pains.

It gave the pain some purpose, a sense of pride. I was in the process of growing, becoming older, getting taller.

Eventually, we all stop growing physically, our measurements coming to a slow halt, leaving us at relatively the same size as our 16-17 year old selves.

The growing pains ebb away, and I imagine the reminder of them comes as our own children turn to us and ask us about their own pain.

Growing pains.

So easily explained, so easily understood, so excusable for the hurt we feel.

But as we reach milestones, turn corners, and fall over as we awkwardly grow into emotional adults, the growing pains are so much more unclear.

They feel more like failure.

As we grip our aching soul, the pain seems to have no purpose, for the growth is hard to see.

This week, it is my birthday. I say that not to get a slew of birthday gifts (although welcome,) I say it to clarify why growth is something I’m really focusing on this week.

For what is growth?

Do birthdays mark growth?

Do I look back at the past year, and measure myself? Using what as the yardstick? Amassed funds? Amassed friends? Sweet memories?

What proves that I have grown between last years cake and this years?

To me, it’s all about the growing pains.

Because I have had them.

And while I was aching, there were times I persevered, believing in the purpose of the pain. But there were times I surrendered to the pain, eyes shut, hands up, and let it overtake me.

This year I expanded horizons, worked harder, re-focused, trampled my comfort zone.

I have also cried in the shower, eaten too much sugar, given up, and allowed my self-made limits to box me in.

I’m tempted, on my birthday, to ask G-d to wipe the world clean of challenges, of obstacles, of struggles.

But I fear that I would be asking Him to remove the color, to silence the joy.

I prefer to ask him to allow us to see the purpose of the pain.

To allow us to look in the mirror and smile through the ache, because we know that through our pain, we are painting the world with vibrant colors.

Without struggle, without challenge, there is no depth of joy, there are no intricacies of beauty.

I ask Him to wipe the world clean of endless grief, of grief so deep that the beauty is too deeply hidden to be asked to reveal itself.

But I ask Him to continue to challenge us, challenge us with pushing past our limits. Challenge us with obstacles we can see over, obstacles we know we can overcome.

Allow the growing pains to have a purpose, allow the pain to be only a roadblock, not the end of the road.

Because without growth, we fail, and without growing pains, we don’t notice the growth.

May my growing pains paint the picture of my future, strengthening my foundation, allowing me to build up and up and up.

Even joyous occasions come with growing pains  – adjusting to married life, a new baby, a brand new home, a new career. But these are the growing pains we can handle, these are the growing pains that make us better. That give our world more color, make life richer, that give life more purpose.

And so as I welcome a new year of my life, I look back at my growth. And I mark my growth by the pain. Not by how many days I felt defeated, but by how many days I felt euphoric, having overcome the challenge that had held me back.

And I ask G-d that He give me more of that strength, more of the ability to jump the hurdles, to push through the pain for the most epic of results:

Glorious, colorful, invigorating, beautiful growth.

Blog Post: 25/52

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Featured Photo by RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist on Unsplash