“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” Anne Lamott
A wise person once said that some of us need a feather and others a brick wall to wake up. I have pretty much have always taken what I lovingly refer to as the Yellow Brick Road.
One early evening in mid-January, I arrived home from teaching, showing homes and a listing appointment completely exhausted. My thoughts were consumed with rest. I took a shower, poured myself a gin and tonic and with a La Croix in one hand and a gin and tonic in the other headed to the couch to veg.
My route included the stairs and suddenly my right foot slid out from under me and I fell full force down the stairs. I knew it was bad. It happened so suddenly that I didn’t even think to drop the two glasses I held and brace myself. My chiropractor said that was a saving grace as I would have certainly broken at least one arm. I fell so hard that I broke the wooden step.
The word was that it would take 8-12 weeks to heal. I was in so much pain that walking, holding a dog leash, moving my head all hurt.
Just when I was ready to amp up for the New Year, I was forced to slow down.
About a month after the fall, I got a call from a lovely couple that I had met last year. They wanted to write an offer on an Oceanside beach house that seemed over-priced so we decided that I should see it pronto.
I was nervous about the drive. Sitting wasn’t my friend. With the support of the whole family, Bruce, the dogs and I hopped into the car and off we drove. About a 40 minutes into the 90 minute drive we saw emergency vehicle flashing lights ahead and the traffic was at a standstill on the two-lane road. I squinted my eyes to read the sign ahead. “ROAD CLOSED USE ALTERNATIVE ROUTE.” NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The dreaded 90 minute drive turned into 3 hrs of me wiggling like a 2 -year-old in my seat, a short temper and a need to pee like a race horse.
When we reached Oceanside, Bruce took the dogs to the beach as I walked down a steep hill with Mary and Steve towards the front door of the house.
Half way down the hill as we chatted, it happened….
We turned a corner and in what felt like slow motion, my right foot slipped on the gravel, went out from underneath me and ended up airborne about hip high and I full on peed my pants. By the Grace of God and years of yoga, I did not fall. Just re-injured myself.
All I can say is that the choice to wear a long coat that day was a wise one. I toured the incredibly gorgeous home with jaw-dropping views with these sweet folks that I hardly knew wearing freezing cold, pee pants and a prayer that they wouldn’t notice or smell urine.
Sometimes we are dealt a hand that we don’t think we know how to play until we need to. Months later after tricky negotiations for the beach house and lots of humility and patience on my part, Mary and Steve LOVE their beach house and I am mostly healed. I am blessed to call these two people friends now. The real estate market is in full swing just when I have my energy back.
LESSONS LEARNED
- Always have a spare set of clothes in the car.
- When I feel the urge to speed up, slow down.
- The Yellow Brick Road is not an easy one but it has great views.
