The first part is a little dry, but has interesting facts about the pain network and how disabled we would be without it. Makes you appreciate the fact that you can physically feel pain and touch and pleasure, they are all intermingled.
It gets better as you explore how response to pain determines how we deal with the outcome of the pain.
As I came to the close of the book and tried to make some resolutions about pain and suffering I came up with these conclusions.
1. Pain is inevitable - it's going to come
2. It's universal - everyone will experience it
3. It's personal - doesn't matter that others have suffered before us it's still very personal
4. If I don't suck the life out of pain it will suck the life out of me - if I don't look at pain as an opportunity to trust God, to learn all I can, to react with an open mind and let it do it's work, I will sink to depression and despair and lose all hope as I wallow in my grief.
It gives new meaning to the passage "Consider it all a joy my brothers when you encounter trials (pain) of various kinds knowing that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Let perseverance finish it's work so that you will be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4
I do recommend this book. It works well in a book club setting as it has discussion questions listed in the back.
