When talking to doctors, friends, family, coworkers, or the random stranger you struck up a conversation with, attempting to explain the embarrassment of falling in public is near to impossible. Most shrug it off. "We've all had our share of embarrassing moments." I can't tell you haw many times I've heard that exact phrase...and from well meaning people! The problem is, its more than just an "embarrassing moment," and further still from the ones we've all had our share of.
How many 20 year old's do you know of that trip, fall, lose balance, or superman it regularly? In places such as work, home, the supermarket, climbing stairs (especially after a long movie at the theater), walking the neighborhood, getting out of the car, or other regularly visited places? And even more, how many of them are unable to pick themselves back up; and I'm not talking about the "hahaha that was so funny I fell and can't get up because I'm laughing so hard please help me back up" moments. How many of those 20 year old's fall when no one is there to help them back up?
I think the worse part for me isn't even the embarrassment, which is pretty bad when you have to thank a complete stranger for picking you up and attempt to explain to them you didn't suddenly pull a muscle or break your leg in thirty seconds or less. The worse part is the fear.
What if I fall at night when no one is there to help me back up? What happens if I fall in a parking lot and no one sees me? What if I fall on a hike and no one can hear my calls for help? What if people don't believe me and refuse to help me because I look able bodied? These are not normal concerns of a healthy 20 year old. But, then again, I suppose I might not be classified as a healthy 20 year old.
Luckily this last fall was not one of the impending dooms I fear, it was just embarrassing. While running around the store completing one of the many tasks I have on my plate at work, I tripped, fell, super-maned, flung my binder and all its contents, and sat. That one hurt. While assessing the damage and contemplating how long it would take to recover from this now most recent fall (and flipping the imaginary signs in my brain back to "one day with no accidents") I realized someone was watching me. Great. "Are you alright sweetheart?" said the probably 70 year old veteran picking up the contents of my binder. "Oh, yeah I'm fine, Thanks for getting that for me." "Mhmm..." He was catching on. I could see the expression on his face changing. It had been close to 30 seconds and I was not getting back up. That's when the most embarrassing part of all occurred.
That 70 year old veteran, the man I, a 20 year old should be helping up, grabbed me under the armpits and stood me up with a much unexpected strength and force I was tempted to fall right back over again. A 70 year old was more able bodied than I.
Here is a picture of our recent snow fall mixed with the still existing colors of fall.
