Gracie ponders

So many times in my life, I have looked at situations that I have been in and thought…. “This is going to be a tough mountain to climb.” Or Ive thought, “I wish I was on the other side of the finish line on this problem or project.”

Sometimes we have just wanted to speed thru life events to get to the next stage in our lives or the next chapter in our lives. However, what if you are ok with the chapter that you are in? What if you have that realization that this is it….. This is what we have been working towards. The realization that you are at the precipice, the top of your mountain. I believe that this year, my 56th year which I blogged about on my birthday last August, stating that I was on the other side of the mountain of life. I stated that on the day that i had turned 56, I had taken that step back down the mountain. What I have learned about my fifties, is that I am actually in the best part of life. The first couple years of 50 were actually tough. We had sold our business and there was an adjustment period for my husband to maneuver from being a 55 hour a week business owner to not working at all. However he found a Job 3 days a week which is a win win for everyone. Secondly, my daughter and her husband had twins and we all had an adjustment period as we all helped out. Our hard work paid off because they are the best part of our world now.

Four years later however, even in a pandemic and all of the latest news worthy events going on in our world, I feel as if I am a pretty content and happy person. I am not naive to think that all of that talk and sunshiny goodness can’t get swept away as we put one foot in front of another to get to that content place.

Two weeks ago on a Friday morning, I did not put one foot in front of another literally, Our lives can change so suddenly. We all know that. A car can cut in front of us, and cause a wreck, an illness can hit as it has for so many with covid, Things happen. On this particular day a couple weeks ago, I had called a plumber to fix my broken disposal. I was told they would be at my house at noon. I took my time cleaning, and then did a 30 minute workout, and then at 11:15 jumped in the shower, only to hear the doorbell ring. “OH SHOOT” I said, as I had just wet my hair to shampoo it, but I hastily turned off the water, grabbed my T-shirt and shorts, threw them on, dripping water everywhere and ran and opened the door. I said, the disposals broken, here it is, and I will be back in a minute, as I kind of hurried back in the bathroom and pivoted, my foot hit a big puddle of water on my slick tile floors and both of my feet went literally out from under me to my left side, and I fell to my right side like a downed tree. Fast as lightening. My right shoulder hit first and I fell with my right arm under me. It was a hard fall. I laid there for a while thinking. Good Lord, I really hope I didn’t break something and thought to myself, I was just literally horizontal in the air with feet to one side similar to when I used to run track and used to do the high jump but there was not a thick fall pit to catch me only a hard tile floor.

Two weeks after my accident, my shoulder , arm and right shoulder blade still are aching. I’m not in terrible pain, but its Aching bad enough that I have an appointment with the orthopedist that fixed my torn meniscus years ago. I’ll keep yall posted to how that goes. I’m praying it will just take time and a bit of Physical therapy and nothing else!

You see, I was not putting one foot in front of another but way too quickly. I do things way too fast. I feel as if when I do something, I’m usually trying to hurry. For instance:

If I get this dusting done, then I can go back to reading my book.

If I get this weeding done, then maybe that can be considered a workout and I can eat an ice cream sandwich Because I will deserve it.

If I hurry up and do everything I need to do in the morning then I can binge watch something on netflicks.

I even still jog up the steps. Well 56 is too old to be taking short cuts and skipping steps and jogging into my bathroom. I NEEED TO Slow down. When you do, you will find that at the end of your day you are thankful for the little things. Be mindful of the beauty around you both in nature and in people.

Tuesday, my husband and I took my four year old grandsons fishing down the waterway and up a river. It was one of the best days ever. We were not in any hurry, we fished until we ran out of bait. We let them reel the fish in every time and their excitement was priceless. On the way back we saw a mama dolphin and her baby. We turned the boat around and let the boys take it all in. We followed the mama and baby as we all watched their graceful slow fluidity thru the water. They were in no hurry and we were not either.

When I look back at my life, I view it as tiny hills and many large boulders sometimes that I had to overcome of learn how to maneuver. Many times, we are dreaming of the next stage in our lives that we miss the scenery. During the really tough times however its ok to just get thru it. Hope is a great thing. My woes have been nothing compared to the many mountains so many have to face.

During this pandemic all of us are trying to speculate what the next year will be like. THE when, where, why questions loom in our minds constantly. In this coming year, we have no choice than to put one foot in front of another and take each day as it comes. Many people have been given no choice than to slow down during this time at home. 100,000 have died from this illness. It makes my little accident with my fall look like nothing. With our mortality literally being on a roulette wheel right now we are all probably looking at our lives differently. America’s climb right now is one rocky terrain, but we all have to have a little faith. stay away from the mountains with a volcano at the top. Search for the ones with the grassy plateau. Make life easy. Slow down and enjoy the view and stop wondering what’s on the other side. Be in your moment.