“On an airplane, you are always told to put on your oxygen mask first. The same way in life, you need to take care of your health first. If you are not happy and healthy, you cannot make anyone else happy and healthy..” – Rajashree Choudhury
About ten days ago, my friend got a hip replacement and was staying with us in the initial recovery period. My beloved neighbor who was a physical therapist for 40 years came over to give him tips. The one that caught my ear was to make sure he had a clear path.
He was talking about how to successfully navigate with a walker. I noticed the advice because we were trying to find a way to help. In a house with me, two kids, a 2-year-old dog, a cat, and a crested gecko, the floor is often cluttered. Not that the cat and the gecko have much to do with it. It was a good reminder to tend to the Legos, stuffies, and balls that regularly find their way to the floor.
But it also struck me as it’s such a great way to think about what we need in times we are repairing ourselves, inside and out. Sometimes we need to make sure we have a clear path for healing. To Lego of the grand ambitions, to clear the stuffies from our calendars, and to stop juggling the balls that are thrown our way.
My friend did a lot of thoughtful preparation for his hip replacement recovery. He parked his car in a different spot so people could come pick him up and drop him off with ease. He left a key outside the door so that others could let themselves in. Things to clear the path as he recovered.
As I learned when I got sick last week, we don’t always have the time to prepare to heal. But we can clear the path to assist our recovery when we need it.
(featured photo is Cooper the dog doing his best as a therapy dog)
You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/ and Instagram @wynneleon
Please check out the How to Share podcast, a podcast celebrates the art of teaching, learning, giving, and growing!
Surprised By Joy 