Day Twelve; Well, Ouch

And I managed it without anything frozen about.

They…meaning the weather prognosticators extraordinaire, keep telling us that the front is still too far away to accurately predict what is coming. Or, if anything is coming. It could be snow, sleet, freezing rain or simply rain or actually nothing at all. But, that’s North Carolina weather.

My mother was in need of a few things and I decided that to be on the safe side, I would go ahead and purchase some dry pet food. Right around one this afternoon I took her to the big box store. We first picked up the cookies that dad wanted so mom wouldn’t forget then headed for the pet food. Grabbing the bags we checked on can food for mom’s dog,none to be had, then she went to pick up the few things she needed while I went off in search of something I needed. We met back over near the cereal aisle. They didn’t have what mom was looking for so we headed to check out. As we were making our way to the register she remembered that she needed batteries. I told her to wait there and I went to the battery display. Finding what she wanted I headed back. Quickly getting checked out, I got us back to the car and headed for home.

Once mom and everything she bought was inside, I headed for my own home. I prepared a cup of coffee and sat down. My dad called wondering if I would be willing to help him cut some kindling before I could get down there, my son called needing a soda and chips. I waited until I finished at least part of that cup of coffee then headed out. Just as I was pulling in behind where my son worked he was calling me wondering where I was. Behind the building come get your drink. He was beginning to wonder since it had been a while since he called. Sorry son, non emergencies mean I don’t jump.

When I got home, again, I walked down to my folk’s to see if dad wanted to cut that kindling today or wait until tomorrow. He said tomorrow, so I spoke for a moment with mom and then came back up here.

  As I stepped in the yard I noticed a stack of the dog’s dishes on a stool at the edge of the porch. I walked over and picked them up and turned to walk down the side walk in front of the porch. that was my plan anyway. When I took that first step, a brick turned over and before I even realized what was happening, I was hitting the sidewalk hard. So hard that I was left sitting there for several moments as I tried to catch the breath that had been knocked out of me. When I finally stood up and made my way inside all I could think of was, ‘that’s going to leave a mark’. And it has.

The thing is, a lot of the things that happen to us in life are similar to that fall. We are on a set path, we see something that causes us to deviate from that path and bring about the fall. It could be something like making those resolutions at the first of the year. The ones we are so determined to keep, but well.. don’t. It could be that new diet we are following so carefully. Right up until we see that special desert a friend has made, or get too close to a donut shop and the temptation is too much. We may decide to drink fewer soda and more water, or stop smoking, or get more exercise. It could be any plans for being better, stronger, more healthy, that are derailed by one step off the set course.

After that happens, we have one of two options. Pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, understand being human means making mistakes. We will slip, we will stumble, we will tear our jeans and take a couple layers of skin off our knees, but that doesn’t have to be the end. We don’t have to feel the failure and return to bad habits. We simply start again from this new position. Even if the struggle is more difficult, it is not impossible. The other option, accept defeat. Remain stuck in a bad position. The worst choice between the two. To accept defeat, should never be an acceptable option.

Tomorrow I will fix that brick that over turned. Tomorrow, I will help dad. Tomorrow, will be another day with new beginnings and new steps in the journey. Even with a bruised knee and ego.

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