gimpy

Well, I have another kankle. This time it's on the left ankle (last time was the right ankle from the spider bite). See, what happened was, I, for the second day in a row, found myself craving a run. I was thrilled to pieces and headed out on Jemison Trail. About a mile into the run, I hit a pinecone hidden underneath a pile of leaves. I remember a crunch of the pinecone, a pain in my ankle, and then the ground. I have no recollection of falling, I was down so fast. As soon, I as caught my breath, I commenced to hobbling back the way I had come, noticing that my ankle was increasingly looking like someone had shoved a ping-pong ball under the skin. After about 20 minutes or a half mile later, a sweet woman pulled over and asked if she could give me a ride. Apparently my lifeless little ankle gave me away. I threw all caution to the wind, all the warnings about not getting in a stranger's car, and I hopped in that vehicle faster than you would have thought possible due to my gimpyness.

That was yesterday and here I sit today. That's what I do a lot of right now: sit. I'm not all that great at sitting still actually. My ankle is enormous and blue with a blackish tint. Isn't blue the new black this year? Sam (the 8 yr. old I'm babysitting) told me last night that my ankle looks like it belongs to a 400 pound woman. Thank you, Sam. And yes, my friends are fondly calling me gimpy, while being ever so patient with my walking speed. Oh yes, and then the classmate who tagged me and said, "betcha can't catch me!"

But, you know, things like this always help me appreciate what I normally take for granted. When suddenly it is a challenge to walk up a flight of stairs or change the laundry, I realize that I usually zip around with no thought for the blessing of working legs, ankles, and feet. I realize that I am so blessed to be able to exercise on a normal basis and blessed to know that this wound will heal. My impediment will be relatively brief, unlike the sweet girl in my program who is confined to a wheelchair. I have no idea what that must be like. I don't want to harbor pity for her, only love. And new knowledge about the difficulty of getting pity looks and the difficulty of receiving help, asking for help, the difficulty of slowing down and not being in control.

So, I am thankful. Thankful that it was left ankle that got hurt and not my right, since I have to drive so much back and forth to Tuscaloosa. Thankful that it was an ankle and not a hand or a brain, especially right before exams. Thankful that I fell on the trail and not on concrete, so nothing else was hurt. Thankful that there is kindness and generousity in the world. Thankful to remember that God is control. Thankful to watch my body heal itself, amazing it is. Thankful to have friends who make me laugh and mimick my walk and call me funny names and be patient and would probably carry me on piggy back if the need arose. I am thankful. It's good to be reminded of what I have.

I finished up another class today. I can't believe I'm almost 3/4 of the way through grad school. One more semester and I should be done with school (possibly forever!?). I thought I'd go to grad school, come home, not really meet anyone. God is wonderfully surprising.

'I is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.
He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me;
you stoop down to make me great.
You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn.'
Psalms 18:32-36