Earned Patience

The thesaurus uses staying power, persistence and tolerance as synonyms for the word patience.

I’ve been hearing it a lot lately. Especially when it comes to trying to do anything physical.

Six weeks today since the pelvic and clavicle fractures.
Yesterday I managed 50 meters with the shoulder doing the breaststroke. The remaining 600 meters was water walking and on my back sculling. At least I can do something!

Walking is painfully slow still. Although I can do a block now, without sitting down.

Last night I met a woman who had back surgery in April. She was sporting a plastic back like brace. Her 4^th and 5^th lumbars fused back together with screws. Alleviating years of excruciating nerve pain.

She said to me, “Paint the picture of how you want to look and feel when you’re all healed up.”

As I hobbled away I imagined.

Then chuckled to myself thinking again her final words.

“Remember to be patient.”

Ironically right after I had a text chat with another pal who’d suffered a shoulder injury a year earlier. Now in limbo awaiting surgery. Still with pain and suffering.

Her gift in words to me was the slow down was the best thing that could of happened to her in her life. She’d met the man of her dreams, watched her eldest daughter graduate. 
Nothing was rushed.

I’m humbled by the people I’ve been meeting in my current situation.

And slowly learning to live with that word: patience.

Simple Beauty

She was probably ten or eleven years old. Chatting away happily with her mother. In an excited tone. They were going swimming.

I joined them later for lengths. Alongside, the child’s glee reinstated with a paddle board and a floaty. Reminded me of my childhood fun in a pool.  We’d spend hours. Exiting with prune like hands and feet. Wake up in the morning with earaches.

Once the head is under water the shift from life outside turns down a notch. It is quiet. Peaceful. You hear your breath. The swoosh of your arms moving and your legs kicking.

My strokes go a kilometer. Back and forth. Back and forth. I’m mesmerized by the solitude. Grounded once again.

I drive home amongst a sunset. A mosaic of clouds embark shades of orange with red and pink. I stop to stare. It makes me happy. Simple beauty. Grateful I took the time to see it.