It's been a hard few days. Remember when I say that, as a human being I have hard days like everyone else, not all my hard days relate to or have anything to do with my disability. The fact is some times life is more difficult than at other times. I am desperately looking forward to the weekend and to a few days off work.
Yesterday I was waiting for the bus to come. I go in to the office early so I catch the bus even earlier. I'm used to the early hours, I am an early morning person, but, even so, I was feeling hard done by. This, for me, is a natural reaction to having a bad patch.
When the bus pulled into the driveway, I sat up in my chair, got my feet on the pedals and was fully in 'start' position for when the bus stopped. The driver got out, greeted me, opened the door and set down the ramp.
In a sudden fit of whimsy, I pushed off.
The is a small landing in front of the building, there's a bench, two big pots of flowers and a place where smokers can put their butts. The landing is flat but when you push off you there is a long slow drop, almost like a natural ramp. I cleared the lip and let myself sail down towards the bus.
I felt like a kid on a slide.
It would have been appropriate for me to have gone WEEEEEEEEE! if I'd been, say, 60 years younger.
The driver, watching me, smiled. She saw that I was just having a moment of fun on the way over to the bus.
When on the bus, I recognized that I felt better. That the moment of wheeled playfulness helped.
Sometimes being in a wheelchair has a side benefit, if there's a hill, or a ramp anywhere in sight, you've got a toy under your butt!
I have to remember that next time I have a rough couple of days.
Goody. Use it MORE often.
ReplyDeleteAnd when I get tired, my walker has a SEAT. It's a nice benefit.
Glad you're feeling better - even those of us who have good skills to work ourselves back to 'okay' sometimes find it a lot of work.
Not being able to do that is worse, but I sometimes just get tired of having to make myself happy every day.
Alicia
That's cool! Sometimes it's those spontaneous 'nonsensical' things that make one of those iron gray days end one a bright note. :-)
ReplyDeleteOn a related note - I once wrote an essay about skipping . . . about why that particular mode of self-transport isn't the chosen mode as an adult. Quite frankly - I'm not sure why it isn't. Like - when did it become passe? I've never in my life seen a pissed off person skipping. EVER. It's bouncy, it's quick, it seems to lighten the mood.
One day I suggested a "skip" day at work. Eventually - a bunch folks in the office joined in with me. It was funny. Folks were looking at us oddly at first, but when they started skipping too - it became a lot brighter in the office. Especially when some folks I'd not expected to skip . . . skipped!
I hope you lean into those spontaneous moments when the opportunity arises as often as you can. I think sometimes they might just be the real stuff of life . . . .
Fun is important.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you were brave enough to say this. most people would bite their tongue. Thank you for being brave.
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