Sandy Supposes....

Bruised Birds of a Feather Hobble Together

         PROMPT: What aren't you thankful for?

         I suppose the one thing I'm not grateful for is my clumsiness; a propensity for accidents and injuries. During my many years caring for the elderly, I was always amazed by the people who had managed to become seniors without enduring broken bones, stitches, or surgeries. How had they been so fortunate? Of course, I've also met accident survivors; with my personal history I suspected I wasn't alone. For the most part, we all encounter similar situations, yet some of us seem to attract permanent scars.

         I admit I am jealous of people who seem to have a natural athletic grace. They can run effortlessly, without tripping. They can summon their legs to jump and they are confident they will land on their feet. They can throw and catch because they have an important something known as hand and eye coordination. Basically, they have control over their bodies.

         Dancers display incredible strength, agility, and balance. Many of them make dancing appear as natural as breathing. They are confident and fearless.

          In contrast, I have injured myself surfing on the Wide Web; I confess I actually rolled over my own foot. While baking Christmas cookies last December, I fractured a big toe. Many of my past accidents have involved falls down stairs; they are my nemesis. Fractures, bruises, sprains, and strains are the result of the jarring stop. I've lost count of how many times I've 'experienced' whiplash.

         The silver lining to my frequent accidents is that I meet interesting people in the emergency department waiting room. Bruised birds of a feather hobble together.