It took time and courage and a dash of insanity to build this accord, to change how my body receives and understands pain, but this was the basis of what I came to describe as the Agreement. But once the Agreement was in place—an agreement that allowed both parties to be heard, understood, and then kindly told to fuck off—pain simply became a notification in my brain. I can honor what my body has to say and certainly have a quick look, and then just as quickly swipe the notification away, and my pain goes along with it.
