Did you ever hurt yourself in a way that was so embarrassing that you were afraid to admit it? Maybe you tripped over your dog in the middle of the night or slipped and fell on the dance floor at a wedding. Whatever you did, was it so bad that you made up a story that was a half truth but plausible and also much less mortifying?
What I’m about to tell you is 100% true (and 100% humiliating), so much so that I wish I could think of a story that would make this sound better.
It started with a hammock.
Back in July, I was on a college visit with my daughter. We were a few minutes early for the tour and decided to take a stroll around campus before things got underway. We saw this cute little courtyard, filled with hammocks—there must have been a dozen or more, all brightly-colored and inviting.
Sure, hammocks are somewhat awkward to get in and out of but I’d never had an issue before so we decided to give ‘em a whirl. I walked up to the side of the hammock, my daughter just a few feet away from me, and I bent down to drop my phone in my purse. Suddenly, the hammock hit me in the back of the knees and flipped me head over feet. I heard a ‘crunch’ on the way down, landing face first in the dirt. I rolled over painfully, trying to catch my breath and taking stock of my limbs. Could I move my fingers and toes? Where did it hurt?
Accidents happen and this was a doozy. As bad as I felt for myself, I felt worse for my daughter. After all, she was the reason we were there. Luckily, aside from a couple locals nearby, no one had seen it happen. I was eventually able to get off the ground and dust myself off. After a stop at a restroom, we got back on schedule. I managed to make it through lunch and the campus tour on a handful of ibuprofen and made it home in one piece.
The aftermath of said hammock incident has been a trip. After several visits to the doctor, a couple MRIs and various X-rays, I learned that the accident caused damage to both my upper and lower back. It’s lead to numbness and tingling in my arm and leg and has made it difficult to sleep, work and even sit down at times. I’m now a regular at physical therapy and recently got a shot that promises to alleviate the pain and discomfort I feel on a daily basis. Yay for modern medicine!
This isn’t a pity party. It’s a cautionary tale for the over 50 crowd—don’t do stupid stuff. Because it’s the most innocuous things—like laying in a hammock or roller skating or doing a cartwheel in your backyard (you know you’ve tried)—that lure you into thinking that you’re invincible. You’re not. You might be flexible but you’re still breakable, friends. Take my word for it.
Happy Birthday to Benign Inspiration!
Some exciting news…Benign Inspiration is one year old this month. I posted my first post, Homecoming, on Oct. 2, 2022. It’s been a blast writing like this again and it still baffles and amazes that there are folks out there who want to pay good money to read my writing. Honestly, I didn’t join the other writers in the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative for the money. I did it because I simply love to write.
That said, if you are a paid subscriber to Benign Inspiration, thank you. It means a lot that you would want to support my work financially. If you’re not a paid subscriber, thank you, as well. Subscriber or not, I appreciate you and your encouragement of the one thing I love to do the most.
I would encourage you all to take a look at the list of writers in the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative and consider making a contribution toward the group as a whole. It’s a solidly talented, incredibly inspiring cache of Iowa writers who are truly making an impact through their work. If you subscribe to the weekly roundup, the news comes right to your inbox on Sunday morning. Easy peasy.
Thanks again, friends! I look forward to sharing all that inspires in the coming year.
What Inspires Me?
Disregard what I wrote about age above. Virginia Oliver, one of the oldest lobster women on the east coast is proving me wrong. Virginia is 103-years-old and has been lobstering for 95 years. She shows no signs of stopping.
The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative
I’m proud to be a member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. We are a group of professional writers producing columns on the Substack platform of interest to an Iowa audience. To receive a weekly roundup of our columnist links each Sunday morning, subscribe here: Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. Our roster of talented writers is as follows:
Oh Jody! Be careful!❤️
Love your writing! And yes, I tripped off a curb in August and sprained my ankle, scraped and twisted my other knee. Still wearing a compression sock and my body is now so misaligned that left arm and leg are numb and had to go to emergency chiropractor visit today. Not even a good story! I was tired, walking to my car after meetings, and reading my phone. The only person who came to my rescue was a lady who just said, “You should stop wearing high heels.” And then kept walking. Thanks for the hand up off the ground, lady!