A few weeks ago, I stumbled spectacularly. This was a literal stumble and not a metaphorical one. As is often the case, my head was in one place and my feet were in another. As most successful walkers will tell you, ideally you want your head and feet in the same general vicinity.
This disconnect led to a slow-motion spill and a flurry of thoughts before the inevitable collision with reality…ie – the ground.
Anyone who has ever wiped out is probably familiar with the time anomaly that occurs between the initial trip and the eventual collision with the ground. Time seems to stop, giving you plenty of time to ponder the events that led to this moment, wonder what the impact will be, and imagine what you look like to a group of passing strangers.
In this particular instance, I still envy anyone who possibly saw me from an angle where (I imagine) it looked like I was absorbed by a hedge.
Of course, that brief moment of suspension is always abruptly ended by the ground. Sometimes you escape with only a bruised ego. Other times your knee bites it and you get a few scrapes. No matter the fall, it always includes a lesson.
What that lesson is, well that’s almost entirely up to you. Most likely, it won’t keep you from falling again, but if you’re lucky you’ll at least find a new way to fall.
Be Kind. Be Brave. Stay Awkward.
Onward & Awkward 