Sh** happens.
My mom reminded me to hear my dad’s words as I sat at her kitchen table, blinking back tears, holding an ice-pack to my face, and lamenting my stupidity. My mom and I tend to be rather emotional, and get quite upset with ourselves when we feel we’ve done something really dumb. My dad is much more relaxed about these things, and in those moments when we are beating ourselves, he’ll pull out that phrase, saying it only as he can with his Israeli accent. But he’s absolutely right. It does.
Perhaps you have noticed my wonderful shiner--some of you have inquired, some of you may have felt you shouldn’t. When it first happened, I could not run away fast enough from those who witnessed it, but now that some time has passed, I’ll admit what happened. Unfortunately I did not get it from wrestling a bobcat or emerging triumphant from a bar fight (you should see the other guy!). Nope. It happened right here at Latimer Lane, ending the Friday of that first mini-week back from vacation with quite a bang.
I was on my way out of the building at the end of the day. As I headed towards the front door, for some unknown reason I looked back over my left shoulder into the office. I put my hands slightly in front of my waist, expecting to feel the push bar of the door as I walked. Except I didn’t. I must have shifted slightly to the left of the door, and smacked into the pane of glass with my face so hard I fell over backwards, ending up on the floor on my back, looking up at the ceiling.
Kendra, Stacie and Katelyn immediately came to help and see if I was ok. I mumbled “I’m fine” as I walked quickly to the car, feeling the welt on my head growing by the second. Vicki called me moments later. By the time I drove to my mom’s house, 5 minutes away, the right side of my face was completely swollen. The swelling has come down, but the bruising has come out, hence my now colorful face. I know it’s a sign of healing, and my initial ego wound of sheer mortification that I would DO such a thing has healed too. And I’ve had time to realize and remember a few things.
Perhaps one of the best things about the human race is that we are certainly not my beloved Mary Poppins, “practically perfect in every way.” We are beautifully IMPERFECT. And the goofs we make through life, whether small or spectacular, all come with messages and morals. So here’s my list:
Always watch where you are going! Enjoy the opportunities to look around when you can. But when you need to focus straight ahead, make that decision.
Appreciate the wonderful people who surround you. Value those who care about your well-being, offer you help, make you laugh, and comfort you. Families, friends, colleagues, students, and sometimes even strangers want you to feel your best.
Give yourself grace. Forgive yourself. Laugh at yourself. Make changes when necessary. You never stop evolving, you never stop learning life’s lessons.
I can tell you am keenly aware of doorways and those pesky poles in the lobby right now. I hope I don’t experience another painful accident for a while, but I’m sure eventually I’ll do something silly, and I will learn from that too.
Because hey…sh** happens.
Glad you're on the mend, Mimi!!! Reminds me of the time I walked right smack into one of those poles along the sidewalk at bus dismissal time. My class thought it was the greatest thing ever and wrote about it in their yearbooks at the end of the year as the best part of the year! hahaaa
ReplyDeleteWell, the fact that I haven't noticed your black eye means I need to get down your way more often. I'm sorry that happened to you, and I can picture your dad's response!
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