subject: Open The Door to Health and Fitness [print this page] Open The Door to Health and Fitness Open The Door to Health and Fitness
"Leslie, a fracture this unhealthy changes your life - forever."
That's what the orthopedic surgeon said to me during my fourth-week, post-operation check-up.
The tears, too proud to flow, prickled behind my eyes. The flimsy cloak of denial disappeared. Reality hit me; hit me hard.
I might like to mention that breaking each bones in my right forearm brought out my bravest and noblest self.
Quite the contrary. I felt weak, vulnerable, and never thus alone. I knew I was the solo warrior during this battle of pain, incapacity, and recovery, notwithstanding the loving support from the flanks.
I hated those odds: alone. I cried - a lot.
Worst of all, I was scared. Scared that I would never be the same. I needed my arm for my work, my writing, my activities, and for my kids - I worried concerning my kids worrying about me.
My worry and self-absorption were fueled by the doctor's honesty.
I used to be prepared to settle into my pity party, but it had been crashed - by the "G" sisters: Get-a-Grip Gerty and Gratitude Greta. Double-teaming me, they were a fierce, formidable force - not possible to ignore. Trust me, I tried, but they were right in my face. Who invited them anyway? I loved hanging out with my buddies from the Wendy Whiner's Club.
"Leslie, you aren't paralyzed or missing an arm or leg. Some disease isn't taking on your body. You didn't break your neck - it's just a broken arm, for goodness sakes. Broken bones heal. Get an edge, girl.
"And even if it had been additional serious than a broken wing, you'll be able to invariably learn to fly, if in spirit only. Open your eyes and heart and receive inner strength and courage from those heroes who rise on top of permanent hardship, loss, constant pain, life-long disability and/or illness.
"The human spirit finds a manner of prevailing and inspiring."
And then Gratitude Greta piped up:
"Glitches happen to all or any of us - it is not a matter of "if," it's "when." It's these very glitches that give you the chance to dig deep and grow from the inside out. They mildew your character. They soften your heart for compassion, empathy, and love - self-love and alternative-love.
"Life's glitches spark creativity and streamline priorities, possibilities, and promise.
"Life's glitches open up doors of awareness into the core of you and your soul's purpose.
"Revalue glitches. You're who you're as a result of of them, not notwithstanding them."
Okay, okay, "G" girls. I got the message. It goes something like: "Live through yourself, girlfriend, and find on with it - be all that you'll be and do what you'll be able to do - and with a grateful heart."
The doctor was right. My life has modified forever, and only time will tell the depth and breadth of that modification, the amendment in my body, mind, and spirit.
Do I still get scared and sneak into that pity party? Absolutely - lots of times. But, luckily, Get-a-Grip Gerty and Gratitude Greta (yes, they keep hanging around) love obtaining me by the scruff of my scrawny neck and dragging me away, kicking and screaming, from all those Wendy Whiners.
I'm reminded of a quote by Boris Pasternak:
"When a great moment knocks on the door of your life, it's usually no louder than the beating of your heart, and it is terribly simple to miss it."
God knew that hard-headed me needed a terribly loud knock to urge my attention. When that slip, crash, crunch, pain, and first thought, "Oh, no, I broke my arm - how am I going to work?", I'm finally listening - a minimum of I hope I'm - well, a minimum of some of the time anyway.
