Thursday, May 7, 2009

Missing in Action

Taking care of a blog is sort of like remembering to bathe your dog, and let me tell you: MY PUPPY IS DIRTY!

Now for the excuses: Life is in turmoil. About three hours after my husband decided he couldn't take it at his job anymore and told his bosses "no more" (I was SO proud of him!), I crashed my bike, broke my leg, underwent surgery to put it all back together, and have been recuperating ever since. It has been a monumental challenge because I am naturally the sort of person who likes to have about 25 things going on at once, and thrives under pressure.

Now I'm spending my mornings watching "Regis and Kelly" and feeling like my grandmother. A trip to the bathroom is a trek, and going downstairs to put the laundry in is an outback adventure. I need full hours to recuperate after these forays around my house.

As for my so-called Deadlines and Stopwatches, well, they really don't exist anymore. I still have some writing to do, but the training is kaput for the season. I won't see a bike again until fall at least. The races are all swiped off my calendar, the backpacking trips canceled, the campouts postponed. I don't want to think about it too much, because it's all too depressing.

Still, it's not the end of the world, and I know it could be worse. My injuries will heal -- maybe not perfectly, but I WILL ride again. And there will be other summers -- hopefully as beautiful as this one is starting off to be. I've got my family, and my friends' commitment to helping me overcome this challenge -- from cleaning my house, to cooking meals to ferrying the kids where they need to be -- has been humbling. In a way, really, this ordeal has taught me to look outside my own selfish needs or wants and realize how lucky I am.

And if I'm really honest with myself, it has brought me a level of contentment that I didn't realize could exist. In my mind, I've thought "FINALLY." It's a gift. And I treasure it more than anything. I don't want to lose it again.

1 comment:

  1. Hey Melissa

    Remember me? Angie Blevins. We went to Colonial Elementary together.

    I was just thinking about the people that I knew growing up and I thought about my first best friend so I googled your name. Wow. It was so great to find that you are doing something that you were put on this earth to do. I remember how artistic you were. How you loved to read and write. I remember that you could draw anything that you wanted to draw. And how you loved the outdoors. Climbing trees, running and playing in the creek behind your house. Those were the days...

    Anyway, I thought that I would say hi. Sorry to read about your accident. I hope that you are doing better.

    Take Care!
    Angie

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