Embracing Change

Change. It can happen in the blink of an eye. Or you can see it coming from a distance. Either way, sometimes you welcome it with heart pounding joy, other times with resigned reluctance or downright resistance. This summer, after a delightful walk in the forest and refreshing swim, the blink happened to me. I waved, I tripped, I landed hard, upside down, in front of my neighbours home. So graceful, so close to home. The result: a badly broken wrist. Yeah, the one connected to my dominant hand. There went my daily hike and swim plan. There went my canoe trip plans. There went a lot of plans.

However, I can honestly say that though I was sad to miss those paddles, swims and hikes, a lot of good things came my way too. Things like:

Don't get me wrong, I had painful, frustrating and downright pissed off moments too. I suspect most of you know the sad state that our healthcare system is in. Add the politics of language into the mix here in Quebec ... well, I'll leave it at that. However, in all honesty those moments were small and short lived compared to the positive things and emotions that I've experienced over the last few weeks.

I am aware of how lucky I am to live where I do and have the opportunity to spend lots of time out on my deck. That this happened in the summer was a huge plus. No boots or zippers to contend with, let alone shoveling. No need to huddle indoors for days. Less risk of falling, again.

I'm glad that I am someone who gets a kick out of being pushed into creative problem solving. I like how it gets my brain firing. Maybe it's reminiscent of all those 10 day wilderness canoe trips of my younger days where you just had who and what was with you to work out an issue - be it food shortage, a relational dynamic or a broken pack strap. You figure it out.

Facebook may be a double edged sword but in this instance, the edge was on my side, not in it. I could simply post my need (eg: a drive to a medical appointment) and folks would respond. Sometimes people I didn't know personally, who lived quite far from me, would offer. Usually it worked out to be someone nearby. Side note: Living alone may actually have worked in my favour. I'm thinking that it may have spurred more people to reach out. When we're coupled I think it's easy to assume the partner or housemate or whomever will step in, and that's not always the case. (Been there, experienced that.)

Having a sense of humour helps too. Laughter is the best medicine after all. It's now seven weeks since the surgery and I'm feeling grateful for all that I received from this unexpected mishap, this unforeseen "change of plans". I am grateful for my resilience, my adaptability and for the investments I've long made in my community that allowed me to reap such care. All three have played a part in making this medical setback just that, a setback. A temporary thing that will affect me for a while yet but not stop me completely.

And you. How are you coping with the unforeseen change in your life, or for that matter, the ones you knew were heading your way? Are you digging deep for that resilience inside of you? Are you reaching out to your community for help...and accepting it when it's offered? Are you figuring way's to ride the emotional rollercoaster? I'd love to hear how you embrace change...or what keeps you from doing so. Share your thoughts in the comment section below or privately with me. If you feel that you need some extra support, maybe take a look at what's on offer on my program page. Maybe something there will feel like a fit. I wish you courage and an open door.