I know that this will be useful to all of you, and am pleased to share my latest insight. We need to be able to communicate to our loved ones that their unconditional love is important to us, and that we desire them to be free from guilt or feelings of helplessness because they are unable to assist us to be free from pain. Here is the post I wrote in a thread about this topic:

"How lovely to synchronistically find this post.

I live with chronic pain from a moderate disability, and the pain affects every waking moment of my life. I am never free from it. Some days are better than others.

I learned long ago that nobody wants to hear about it.

Then, I shut down and dropped out of society.

Now, as I find myself surrounded by people who love me unconditionally, by design, as I consciously choose to love them unconditionally with reckless abandon. I find that we (as a group) struggle with my inability to navigate life as an ordinary person with no pain would be able to do.

I want to participate in my life and to experience all things, as does the Creator of All That Is.

I have a dear friend who expresses a desire to remove my pain, and a level of frustration that he cannot do so.

After having processed this a little bit, I feel confident that I need to communicate with him that he does not need to feel badly for me because I am in pain, but rather, simply to honor my needs by loving me unconditionally (which he already does). If this means carrying something for me that I cannot, or allowing me to take a time out and rest rather than join a group for an outing, or whatever - no one could ask for more than that. Certainly not I. Certainly not he. There is no need for him to feel badly or helpless. Wow - there is no need for ME to feel badly or helpless. I AM LOVED.

I am reminded of a parent carrying a disabled girl in a store one day, so that their hearts were close together. The parent could not remove her pain, but he could allow her to engage the world in her own way and love her all the while.

Thank you for helping me clarify in my own mind that I am perfect and whole, and that the love I have within and that I receive from others is unconditional and complete!!"