I love to run. I am not a competitive runner by any means, but it is my alone/me time. I have been doing really well this year – even running through the winter days over ice and slush even taking the dog. Until… Thursday.
Last Thursday, my foot got caught on a crack in the road and I fell twisting my ankle. At first I was just stunned. Lying in the street I wasn’t even sure what had happened. I tried to stand but couldn’t and literally crawled to the curb. Trying to stand again I felt dizzy. Nate, my poor dog started licking me on the face.
My first thought was that my running season was over. So unfair – one misstep could ruin running for me – and just when the weather was becoming nice. My second thought was how the hell was I going to get home in time to pick up kids from school.
A few people must have seen my spectacular fall but none stopped. Of course, I didn’t have my cell phone with me. Finally a young woman stopped to see if I was OK. Although mortified at my situation, my ankle immediately started swelling and I knew I would not be able to walk home. She let me use her phone, but I couldn’t reach my husband. Finally she told me that she was driving me home.
OMG. How nice of her. What would I have done without her? As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I needed her help. Crawling home just wouldn’t have been an option. I thanked her one hundred times.
And the help that I needed didn’t stop there. Everything is so hard when you can’t stand or walk. My husband ran out for an ace bandage and crutches. My daughter has been helping me carry and get things. A friend drove me to a meeting. My arms ache and I am forced to elevate and ice my foot for hours each day.
I am worried about the week to come – I have meetings scheduled – chores – play dates… I will have to accept that some of these things may need to be cancelled or rescheduled. But all in all it is a good reminder that we are human. That our busy lives should be able to accommodate a slow down every once in a while. That I am lucky it is just a sprain and nothing life threatening.
And now I can tell people that I sprained my ankle while running… away from a bear…
West Bank Dignity
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*Ramallah, West Bank, Israel*
Jalazone is a refugee camp
where stones and ashes are as common as bread
where Arab children scatter like stray cats
at the ...
6 months ago
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2 comments:
I agree that it is a good reminder about slowing down. Sometimes we forget that life will go on even if we can't do everything and have to ask others for help. I'm still learning this because I want to do it "all by myself" but recent events in my life made me also re-think that it is ok to slow down and even let other people help. I'm glad there was a great woman in the world who helped you.
I fully believe that sometimes things happen to FORCE us to slow down. Much to our own chagrin of course. Often we just need a moment to re-evaluate that everything we are focusing on is worthy of our energy.
I remember when I was like ten my Mom broke her leg. I came home from school one day and she had ripped every one of her expensive salon done fake nails...she had decided that day it was a stupid thing for her to be focusing her energy on...
This Mama never forgot that lesson...well ok I do, but tend to break a nose, break a foot, have a breakdown, just to be reminded of such...
Your running summer is not over...just on hold.
;)
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