The Crutch Dynamic

I've spent the past few weeks getting around on crutches. And now that I'm down to one I've noticed something. A crutch is a double-edged sword. It is useful for providing support but it can also create a dependency that prolongs the healing process.

My knee is getting stronger every day. However I sometimes lean on the crutch instead of allowing my leg to bear the weight that it is capable of bearing. I must consciously remind myself to "stand on my own".

While it is necessary for my mobility, leaning all the time is not comfortable. The crutch was not intended to be permanent. Honestly, it's creating a new set of discomforts like the pain in my wrist, hand, and shoulder. I also realize how much my other leg has been over compensating for the injury.

In therapy I was given a set of exercises that are difficult and painful. And I'm required to do them every day. I was told that they important not just for rebuilding strength. They are necessary for reprogramming those movements and coordinates into my brain because I haven't done them in such a long time.

I have to admit, I'm struggling. There's a balance between allowing my body to heal properly and being sick and tired of the pain, inconvenience, and the crutch. I've been assured that if I do my exercises as instructed and allow myself the time, my knee will be as good as new.

Aaaaaah, now I understand the reference to something or someone being a "crutch". Initially it serves an important purpose but over time it impedes progress towards strength and self-sufficiency. When relied upon too much one never learns to handle the situation on his own. The crutch is always right there by his side.

If this resonates with you, join me. "Work-out" your situation and wean yourself off of the crutch.

Until next time...

Thanks Cici!

A big thank you goes out to my knitting sister for nominating me and this blog for The Versatile Blogger Award. With a silly and cheesy grin, I gladly accept.

In order to accept this Award:
1. Thank the person who gave you this award.
2. Share 7 things not known about yourself.
3. Pass the award along to another fantastic blogger.
4. Contact the blogger/s you’ve picked and let them know about the award.

Here goes...

Thing 1: I recently stopped eating highly processed foods (more than 5 ingredients), purchased a VitaMix, and have become a "green smoothie-aholic".

Thing 2: Over a year ago at an evening Sit-n-Stitch Cici talked about being a monogamous knitter and I've been one ever since, working on only one project at a time.

Thing 3: I love snacks that are both salty and sweet: kettle popcorn, pure cocoa with almonds, or dark chocolate-covered pretzels.

Thing 4: My husband truly is my very best friend. Ashamedly, I've only recently to realized it. Surprisingly, it's made me a better wife.

Thing 5: I have a small garden in my yard where I grow fresh herbs and a few vegetables. Yes, my father's southern genes have surfaced.

Thing 6: I listen to audio books while I'm in my kitchen cooking and doing the dishes. You should try it. It has turned what used to be a chore into "me" time.

Thing 7: I used to wish I could sing. I don't anymore. I relish in the gifts that I've been given.

I nominate a friend from college, Tia. We haven't seen one another since we graduated and I'm not even sure if she knows that I follow her blog. I guess she will now. Hey Tia!

Until next time...

Heal & Rebuild

Last October I pushed too quickly up a steep incline headed towards the finish line at the Marine Corp. 10k run. My previous experiences with the Marine Corp. Marathon a few years prior taught me that that wasn't a good idea. I blamed adrenaline. My knee blamed me.

Fast forward to this March on the ski slopes. The accusing knee let me know who was really in charge when I fell, aggravating the original injury. After constant pain, trips to the doctor, several weeks of physical therapy, and a cortisone shot, I learned that I would need surgery. Yaaaay! The problem was finally going to be fixed.

It is now one week post-op and I realize that I'm not going to be "shredding" anything with Jillian Michaels for quite a while (Are you familiar with her 30 Day Shred dvd?). Yes, the problem has been resolved. But now I must heal and rebuild. These are the words that came to me when I received a text asking how I was doing.

See, I saw myself at the end of the process without taking into account the process itself. But now that the problem has been resolved, cuts on the inside and incisions on the outside all must heal. Only then can I begin to stretch what has become tight, increase my range of motion, and strengthen muscles that haven't been used in almost a year. If I do it right, I'll be as good as new. If I don't, I'll never be the same again.

So it is with the hurts, tears, and breaks that life brings. They too need time to heal. And only then can rebuilding take place. If done right, restoration occurs. If not, the damage remains and infects other aspects of life.

Healing requires time, stillness, acknowledging the pain, and looking forward to the other side. It is the progression that occurs naturally and it's always best when we yield to it. Rebuilding is a bit different. It requires work and determination. It is often dreaded and painful. Yet it is necessary.

Torn knee? Or broken relationship? Either way, allow it to heal and rebuild. I believe you'll be glad you did.

Until next time...

Casting On

Disclaimer: This posting is likely to bore the non-knitter.


I was excited to be able to cast on a new project the other day. To me casting on is like springtime. There's newness and excitement mixed with a bit of anticipation.

I wondered, "How do other knitters feel when they cast-on?"

So I decided to send out this inquiry in humble hopes of getting a reply. If you are so inclined, please finish the sentence below.

Casting on is like...

Until next time...

Where, Oh Where...

...has the summer gone???!!!

Was it the camping trip, swimming lessons, or lacrosse camp? Engineering, basketball, or golf camps? Paddle boating on the Tidal Basin or standing in awe at architectural masterpieces depicted in Lego? Maybe it was the trip to the beach... Oh I know, it was the "semi-extreme make-over" that occurred in my home and the 8-week summer session that I taught.

Yes, this has been a very full summer. And although I'm not ready for it to end I know that it must.

Possessions do not bring riches to our lives. Experiences do.

Now I understand. My whirlwind of a summer has made me a multi-billionaire!

Until next time...

A Memoir

On July 4th my aunt, Norlishia A. Jackson, succumbed to ovarian cancer. My life and our family will never be the same.

Aunt Nor was a freelance writer. From the moment she learned of my desire to do the same, she served as a mentor and resource. She posed one question to me every time we spoke. "What cha' workin' on?" It was a gentle reminder to me that as a writer, I should always have a work in progress.

She served as an editor and contributing writer to the Delta Journal, the primary publication of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Through the years she wrote several speeches for the sorority's past presidents and other national officers. She was also instrumental in chartering the Federal City Alumnae Chapter here in Washington, DC. Her work was so profound in Delta that prominent members of the sorority, poet Nikki Giovanni and Dr. Gloria R. Scott (the first African-American to serve as president of the Girl Scouts of America and past president of Bennett College) knew her well and made special trips to speak at the service.

Aunt Nor was creative, funny, giving, loving, and a take-no-stuff sort of woman - all at the same time. She was the best story teller I've ever known. She could tell a story that would make you laugh days, months, even years later. She loved our large extended family and kept us connected through gatherings, newsletters, and a family directory that she created. She was crazy about her sisters and even crazier about her grandchildren, or should I call them her "diva-children" (She refused to be grandma so "Diva" she was).

I could go on and on and on but I won't. Instead, with a grateful and heavy heart, I'll simply say...

I miss you and love you so much Aunt Nor.

Unencumbered

It was our family's first camping trip. We pitched a tent, unrolled our sleeping bags, and "roughed it" with a group of friends and their kids. We had the time of our lives.

It was hot. We were smelly. There were bugs of all sorts and other small creatures. We felt sticky, a bit grimy, and were constantly covered in bug spray - the strong kind. Oh, and did I mention it was hot?

I thought about the fact that people camp all of the time and I wondered why. I slowed my pace, pondered, and eventually I got it.

A neck-craning look up at the very tall trees surrounding us put me in awe as their cone-filled tops swayed in a breeze we never felt. I shared a shower with the brightest green frog I'd ever seen, well...except maybe on the Planet Earth DVD. A lonesome stroll back to the tent surprised a raccoon who was seconds away from tearing our garbage from its post. And a walk to the bathroom in the pitch black of night revealed the brightest stars I've ever seen.

The kids ran and played and created a constant backdrop of giggles and laughter. They scootered and skated on the narrowly paved road. They tossed a football, beanbags, and water balloons. They enjoyed a nearby beach - in their clothes. And they discovered.

At the end of the day when we zipped our tent they looked up and exclaimed, "we could live like this!" And they meant it.

Burdens come with conveniences and luxuries but we seldom step away from them long enough to realize it. In the woods, we were unencumbered. All of us felt it. There were no Nintendos, no internet, and no agendas. There was the simple company of family and good friends. And there was leisure.

The experience was invaluable. I now understand a way of existence that I hadn't known prior to that weekend. And I know how to get it when I need it. Could you use a bit of freedom? If so, I suggest you pack a tent, gather close friends, and head for the woods.

Until next time...