Fortune Cookie Friday: Friendly Benefits

I can’t tell you how accurate this fortune is for me. Oh, wait; I can.

After injuring my knee—stupid ligaments 😡 —I found myself in an unfortunate set of circumstances. I tore the ligaments in my right knee, so I am healing slowly and unable to drive. This situation sucks for someone who although works from home, runs multiple errands during the week and has a busy volunteering schedule. If that wasn’t bad enough, many of my daily chores were difficult to perform. I never considered how hard things would be for me if I couldn’t use one leg.

Enter my friends and family. Humans are social creatures, and having a close-knit community has its benefits. As soon as my friends and neighbors found out about my injury, they asked how they could help. Some prepared meals when my husband was out of town, others chauffeured me to doctor’s appointments or activities. They have been fantastic assets in my time of need.

It has been two months since my injury occurred, and I am managing better with my crutches and hobbling around. My family took over many of my chores. The grocery shopping, cooking, and laundry still need to be done even if I’m not the one doing them. They also help me get items from one room to another since I need both hands to walk.

I have found creative ways to reduce their need like using my carabiner travel mug for my coffee and shoving items in my pockets. Many times I had to think far outside the box, and I sometimes made mistakes. I recommend that you securely wrap your bagel with cream cheese in plastic wrap before you wedge it in your cardigan pocket.

Now that I can bear more weight on my injured leg, I let them know that I can do more on my own. I’m faster on the stairs, trudging through the snow, and rearranging furniture (Don’t ask; it’s a long story). I feel I am more than capable, but I can still sense them watching me like a first-time parent with a wobbly toddler in a roomful of sharp corners.

We take common things in life for granted until we don’t have them. Electricity, a hot shower, or indoor plumbing can stop functioning, and we panic like the world is ending. We have to reassess how we will manage without our conveniences.

I took my legs for granted by pushing my body to do something for which they weren’t ready. I’ve learned to listen to the body and take heed when it yells at me, but I’m sure I will do something careless in the future and curse at myself again.

Some things I don’t take for granted are the friends in my life. I cherish them every day and try to be a best friend back because I would certainly hate to go through life without them.

Thank you, friends and family. You mean the world to me. <3