We should all take the time for self-reflection and harder looks at our day-to-day activities. Sometimes, the time for such reflection and reevaluation are not necessarily of our choosing.
How many of us have ended a gathering of friends with the best intentions to “stay in better touch” or “do it again soon”? Most of the time, while we mean this sincerely in the moment, we actually just go back to our daily grinds and start taking for granted what we just promised to treat with so much reverence.
Suggested Read: A Moment of Reflection: Friendship & Self-Discovery
If you are a martial artist, athlete, someone who leaves your home, dresses yourself, or prepares your own meals (i.e. anyone), then injury can be a great teacher as well. You don’t have to punch, kick or lift weights to quickly appreciate the full use of a limb.
My Injury, My Story
Not too long ago, while training, I suffered a complete rupture of my bicep tendon. I was performing some fairly basic drills, nothing strenuous that should have strained my bicep so drastically, and heard a snap. When I looked down at my arm, I could see that the bicep had recoiled into the shoulder. It was very painful, of course, but equally frustrating as I immediately thought of the setback in my training and all of the post-surgery accommodations and therapy that would inevitably follow.
Temporarily losing the use of my arm was a serious inconvenience, if nothing else. Writing became impossible. Typing was frustratingly slow as I pecked away with one finger. Training was nonexistent. I couldn’t even get dressed by myself. It was very easy to get down and out.
However, as I have been active my entire life, this was not my first injury. Many years ago, Sifu taught me the value of still attending class and taking note of details that I invariably overlooked when moving at full speed. I did as I was taught and kept going to the dojo. I spent more time meditating than usual and was of course taken aback; again by how much I had taken for granted.
Creating a Learning Moment From Injury
Injuries are similar to tests in that if a test is truly a challenge, it rarely is “at the right time”. Injuries are sudden and life changing. You can either adapt or wallow.
Like everything else, you can’t always pick your circumstances, but you can always control your response. You can decide whether or not you will spend your time feeling sorry for yourself or if you will work hard to rebound and turn the obstacle into an opportunity.
Life is a series of risk taking vs. reward.
Do you remember your favorite new pair of shoes, or maybe a toy that you loved as a child? When they were new, you probably took incredible care of them by purposefully avoiding puddles and wiping them clean.
Maybe you put your favorite toy on a special shelf so that you always knew where it was and that it was safe. Maybe you loved the toy so much that you didn’t use it all; which ultimately robbed you of the joys of its purpose.
You can’t experience life to its fullest if you choose to live scared of injury, scared of failure, or even scared of what other people might think.
If I didn’t do half of the things I do, I would likely not get hurt. But missing out on the experiences and lessons of training and pushing myself is too great a price to pay for this safety.
It seems that we have a hard time remembering the value of things until we lose them. Severe change: death of a loved one, illness, injury, or loss of a job can all be masterful Zen teachers. They force us to be completely in the moment and to forget about what really doesn’t matter.
Moving Onward & Always Forward
I don’t wish a bicep tear on anyone. I do wish that everyone could have the BENEFITS of the injury without going through it. I learned to value so much more. It’s a lesson I have learned before but like anyone else, I forget. If we aren’t vigilant in this effort, it slips away.
When you’re dealt a bad hand, don’t let yourself get too down. Realize that it will pass, for better or worse, like anything else. Try to take advantage of the opportunity that your changed circumstances may have provided you for introspection and gratitude for the world around you.
Besides some lingering aches and a newfound ability to predict rainy weather through my arm, I am pretty close to 100%. However, my attention to detail, meditation practice and appreciation for simple tasks has grown much more and some of my techniques have even improved. In this way, I am choosing to look at what was a definite inconvenience and setback as a gift and opportunity for growth and development.
During trying times in your life, you can do the same. I know you can. I believe in you.