I fell off a curb.
Done in by 6 inches of concrete.
On the ground surrounded by emergency workers I wondered what happened. A split second before, I was walking briskly towards a trash can to deposit refuse from my car, before I went for a run along a beach path that is both familiar and routine.
I didn’t trip or fall gracefully. It was blunt, head smacking, bruised ribs, and ankle fracturing! A momentary lapse of awareness, and the ER Dr. said, “No running for 6 weeks.”
So while I was waiting for the walking cast that I’m to wear for the next 6 weeks, the following ways not to fall off a curb danced through my head with no restraining casts on their unique ideas.
- Pay attention to where your feet are taking you. Steps, curbs, paths, twists or turns, your attention shouldn’t be so far ahead of you that you neglect where you are.
- Enjoy each moment as it presents itself. Don’t be in a hurry to get to where you’re going as if the fun only starts at that future moment in time. Savor the moment.
- Watch your urges. Experiment with not always being the first one out the door, and down the path. Slow down. Start where you are.
- Take a deep breath at the beginning of each activity. Breathing creates space so you can see the edges of your thinking and your environment. You may begin to notice when your thoughts are going in one direction, and your body is going in another.
When life presents itself as falling off a curb, you’ve already missed the signals that the curb was there. Let the moment sit with you. Whatever you needed to learn you learned in the fall.
You can’t anticipate every fall. But when you do fall, don’t use it as an excuse to stop. I’ll keep running when I get the OK, and I’ll use this as an opportunity to notice where I put my attention and awareness moment by moment.
My love goes with you as you work with this Uplifting Moment.
Posted on
August 2, 2011
by Paulette Sun Davis
filed under