Aaaaoooouuuuccchhhhh!!!

Life has a way of gently nudging you back to reality...sometimes well, not so gently if you're not paying enough attention to it's more subtle signs...That was me this weekend, receiving a "not so gentle" reminder to pay attention to where I'm going instead of keeping my head in the clouds. "Oooh, look, a butterfly" ...trip, skid, topple, slide...aaaoooouuuucchhhh! Stop, dust settles, check to see if I've broken anything. Nope, but I feel stinging...everywhere! I'm covered in dust and gravel from the Town Lake trail and I must have been going at a pretty good clip, because I was sliding for what seemed like an eternity. It's amazing how when something like this happens, time slows to an almost standstill...it's because the focus is SO clear...in THIS MOMENT ONLY, that in that moment, time doesn't exist. I've noticed this over the course of particular events...and like some baseball player sliding into home, this nano-second lasted an eternity. But when the dust settled, and time resumed, I checked for blood, broken bones and dusted myself off and resumed my run. I was only 3/4 mile into my 3 miles, so I still had a way to go...and this fall, this jolt back to reality gave me something to contemplate on the remaining path...It's interesting how sometimes I get so caught up in the abstract to the exclusion of paying attention to my current path. I'm finding that in my life now and perhaps that's why the little wake up call. "Pay Attention" "Watch where you're going" Of course, I have to say, I'm grateful for this little scrape...as the "nudge" life gave me could have been much more severe. I'm very fortunate in my health, my life in general and am very grateful that the worst thing in my life right now is something a little bandage and my kickass immune system can fix. And I heed the nudge...and thank my life for the awareness.

I debated adding this snap, but find the blood fascinating and wanted to remember this event. Evidence of LIFE, fragile, pure, miraculous as it streams down like tears, like water...LIFE...this instance, presenting it's underbelly, then within days, the wound will heal, and a rebirth of skin will take it's place. This wound, this scar will forever be an experience unique to me, and fleeting. What a cool concept!