We love biking. Last summer in Tahoe, Travis’ cousins were kind enough to loan us their bikes for a couple of weeks so we could check out some trails. Of course we fell in love with the sport and bought his and hers Yeti mountain bikes plus a road bike for each of us when we got home in August of 2015. So now we’re super in to biking. I’ve had only two spills before this week: one on my road bike pretty much right after I got it and another while in Tahoe on a mountain bike. No biggie. They left a few scars and a divot in my left shin, but no hospital visit required, etc.
Travis and I dropped Kyle off at Tahoe Expedition Academy’s Art camp on Tuesday morning and took our bikes up the street to a trailhead for what was supposed to be a quick ride before Travis tackled his work for the day. So naturally, I decided it would be a good day for me to go flying off the bike and attack a pointy rock with my hip. The rock is still firmly in place, mind you, which is not fair. I put a gross disgusting hole just above my hip bone on the front left side. Travis was cool and calm, which was good because I was writhing in pain and rolling around in the dirt. He cleaned up the big boo boo, put gauze and tape all around my waist to hold it in place, and called his cousin to come pick us up at the nearest street off the trail (Thanks, Renee!). I slowly hobbled down the mountain and then we drove 20 minutes to the ER. I ended up with 2 layers of stitches, major bruising around my hip and knee, and I’ll spare you the other details of things like adipose (fat) tissue blubbering out of me. Oops.
So, I really dislike being laid up and forced to rest, despite having a tremendous amount of practice over the last 6 years. I’m hobbling around like an 80 year old woman, but Kyle and Travis are being super sweet and helpful. From all my experience of forced rest, fatigue, and sickness, at least I know that my body is designed to heal, and it will heal. These are just a few days or a few weeks of inconvenience. I’m still fighting having a pity party for myself, but mostly I’m gaining some perspective and trying to seize the day. Last night I considered what would’ve happened if I’d hit the sharp edge of that rock just 2 inches to the right…in my guts, and it made me really sick. I’m incredibly thankful this wasn’t worse and that Travis was with me.
I realize this wouldn’t have happened if we’d played it safe – if I was at our home in Bryan playing Legos inside with Kyle with the A/C blasting (because it’s probably 104 degrees there right now). But if I’ve only learned one thing in life so far, it’s that it’s really short and there are no guarantees here on this earth. Though this is my first ER experience in over a decade, I bet it won’t be the last on our travels. And I bet I won’t regret it the next time either. Granted, I’ll be more careful and hopefully avoid it, but we’re not here to play it safe and create an accident- and pain-free environment for ourselves. There is something in my soul that ignites when I’m outside, enjoying God’s amazing creation. I’m going to pursue that passion. I’ve fallen in line, achieved the American Dream, and done exactly what was expected of me my entire life. I’m more fully awake now. My life has substance. It has grit. I’m genuinely proud of myself – me. Before I was just proud of my achievements and what the world says is valuable. I’m going to stay on this path. If that means I die with a few more scars than the average Joe, then count me in.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Nelson Mandela