Last week, as I was carrying a couple of oversized bags from my home to my car, my little pup tried to exit with me.  I commanded my pup to get back in the house, turned to take my three steps down from my back door to the garage, as I have done several times a day, day after day, year after year; AND, unexpectedly, in that moment, I miscalculated my step.  BAM!, in a split second, there I was flat on the ground crying in excruciating pain.

AARGH, here I am a week later recovering from a sprained ankle, a scabbed knee that can’t seem to heal as the wound keeps reopening as I bend my knee AND I am left with  a very  significant thought…  “In a split second, life changes!”  I know I wasn’t in a car accident, I know I didn’t break a bone, suffer a life altering injury, nor have I been diagnosed with a disease…  but my life as I know it has changed for the time being!  Crap, I don’t have time for this!!!  It wasn’t part of my plan!!  I was forced to remember, I’m not in control.

How am realizing this?  Because, I thought I was getting into my car, I thought I was going to go about my day as I had planned, checking things off my “to do” list.  Because, as I am on vacation this week, I thought I would go for walks everyday, go to yoga classes, hang out at the beach.  Because I didn’t realize I had to think about if I sit down, will I re-open my wound, nor did I realize sleeping would be difficult –  laying awake stressing about if moving the blanket would hurt my ankle or my knee.  Because I can’t move as quickly as I like to or am able to.  Because I’m just not myself for now.  Everything is a little off and although I can smile, I’m suffering a little bit.  Its not that big of a deal – I’ll be okay.  I’ll get back to me.

But here’s the thing –  we all go about our days, taking our routines and daily lives for granted.  The sun will come up, my family is thriving, I have tasks to get done, I have friends I will call and the world keeps turning.  And without any notice, BAM! –  I need to make changes I hadn’t planned for.  Wow, that’s a slap, a warning, a reminder and a blessing!!!

HEY – I need to slow down and remember to appreciate this moment, this day, this life.  It sounds so cliché but it really isn’t…  We have NO IDEA what is up ahead.  This little setback shook me up!  I think I’m in control but guess what??  I’m NOT.  I think I’m strong but guess what, I can be a baby.  I had a tough time recovering and then I realized – get your shit together and pick yourself up!!!  It’s a sprain!!  I started to think about others with REAL struggles – physically and emotionally.  So many others in so much pain, unbearable pain.  They must get through it – and for many, it’s not just a week or two, it’s a month, a year, a lifetime…  There are so many others I must be sensitive to who really are fighting battles so much bigger than this.  It made me think about their courage, their strength, how easy it can be to be hopeless and how they choose not to be.  I have to admire them and respect them.  Their every day, involves more strength, courage, more determination and digging deeper for energy to just “be”.

I send out to the world today, wishes for a little less pain, for a sliver of hope, a piece of sunshine, moments of respite from the aches, sorrows, hurt.  For us who are well, let’s be kinder to those we encounter, share a smile, be gentler. As the saying goes, we don’t know what struggles our other humans are experiencing.  Let’s remember how fortunate we are, lets remember we aren’t in control and embrace what we have right now because in a split second, it could all change!  I’m grateful for this minor accident for it woke me up!