I saw a quote today that had an insightful typo. The error said: ‘compainions‘ instead of ‘companions’. The writer apologized several times, obviously a bit embarrassed. She said it was one of those posts which couldn’t be edited because she was technically challenged. The damage was done, she concluded. But was it really any damage at all, or a Freudian slip that has powerful potential?

There were many different takes on the quote in the comment section, most not pointing out the typo, which could have been courtesy or readers sincerely missing it. Maybe you will also have a view on the new word: ‘compainion‘.

At the same time, I am reading another book which is speaking about us getting past ideas of good and evil in favor of the word discernment. If you are one who immediately saw the ‘compainions‘ in your life, the discernment began. Some will have thought the pain experienced from ‘compainions‘ tiring and unbearable at times. Examples might sound like the following list:

  1. Get a divorce – for the spouse compainion.
  2. Move to your own place  – for the parent compainion.
  3. I need a new job – for the boss compainion.
  4. Urgh in general – for all compainions.
  5. He is so annoying for the neighbor compainion.
  6. Why do i always feel so depressed when I am with her – for the drama compainion.
  7. OMG, did they really say that – for the media compainions.
  8. I do not like compainions, period.

But there is another side of ‘compainions‘ and the list might sound like this:

  1. No pain, no gain.
  2. She’s the only one who can help me see my other side.
  3. We have a love hate relationship – he shows me myself and I hate the truth but it makes me see the light.
  4. Nice doing shadow work with you i learn the greatest lessons from those closest to me.
  5. It’s good pain.

This does not excuse unacceptable oppression or abuse. The type of pain ‘compainions’ give are the small irritations that help you make life pearls, like the clam. An irritation gets inside of us and we set the mind to conquer the irritation. We emerge with a victory of some sort: strength, wisdom, boundaries or success. We will bring that irritation to its finest hour – a pearl in our life, grateful for small irritations from ‘compainions‘.

The Pearl of Irritation