The vast majority of my falling is behind me. Thank goodness! For a long while (3 years) after re-learning to walk, I fell multiple times a day. I, therefore, had many blue bruises, covering my very white legs.
So attractive.
I was reminded of my prolific past topples, a couple of weeks ago, when I (seemingly for no reason ((per usual))), lost my balance & ended up unintentionally flying, to plaster my back against a wall in my living room. I don’t have nearly enough padding (particularly on my back) to make this meeting painless.
Inevitably, it hurt, but nothing unbearable (my judgement of “bearable” has expanded considerably over the last few years of my recovery, as all is relative.) So, after a pause, I went on with my day. Because I abruptly met the wall, when falling/flying, I was kept from ever fully toppling. I was, therefore, led to believe that there was no lasting evidence of my loss of balance and my resulting union with the wall.
A few hours later, however, while wearing a backless dress, out with my friend, when running a hand down my back, he exclaimed “What happened to you?!”
So… apparently, there was tactile evidence, which made my slam apparent. I replied by sheepishly explaining my flying incident to him…
His awareness made me curious, if there was, in fact, visible evidence, to match the tactile, that he had felt & so, when I got home, I investigated my mid-back in the mirror. There was a visually obvious reason it hurt!
I had broken the skin around 3 of the vertebrae on my spine, which had met the wall and resulted in the coagulated blood that my friend had felt. ‘Twas my body’s natural healing practice.
This incident could be viewed as regression, by a harsh & unknowledgeable critic, unaware of the immense progress I’ve made, but I’ve learned how incredibly unfair & demotivating that judgement would be. I therefore, consciously choose, to consider this, as an oppportunity to appreciate the great balance progress that I’ve made (which was accentuated by the surprise elicited by this fall).
My balance now, compared to my balance of 3 years ago, is remarkably steady/reliable. After all, only when considering my current capabilities, in comparison to what they recently were, am I able to accurately measure personal progress.
Progress of all levels must be celebrated, in order to foster more!