I’m often asked what is a ‘daring adventure’. Do I have to jet around the world or take a safari?
I always answer, “no”. To take a daring adventure is simply to say YES to doing something that for you seems a little daring. Sometimes it’s just getting out of bed that day.
Wednesday, I really gave this some thought.
I had gone to the pool to do some water aerobics for my bum left knee. I’m on day 31 of using the water to prevent having a knee replacement (Yeah me!) I went to sign in and found a new friend.
“Pat” was sitting in a chair with her right foot up on one of those electric scooters. Her leg was encased in a red leg cast and there were little pins sticking out of several of her toes. She wasn’t there to use the pool, but to get out of the house and visit her lifeguard daughter for a little bit.
I’ve learned that when I meet the “Pat’s” of the world, I have a lesson to learn. Why else, out of the billions of people in the world, would we be together in this space and time. We began talking about her need for surgery on her leg. She woke up one morning and couldn’t walk. The pins were for helping with her hammer toes since they were working on her foot anyway. Amazing.
Pat’s an extravert, a vibrant mother, partner and first grade teacher. She’s active and loves to move and do her life. And now she’s stopped. She’s stopped by a red cast shining up at her. I sensed her frustration, her anger and her misery of being confined. She mentioned this is what it must be to retire. Tears formed in her eyes.
We chatted a bit and I went to begin my pool therapy.
Pat and “Life’s a Daring Adventure” were on my mind as I worked out with my pink little noodle. How could Pat have daring adventures right now. Since I believe everyday provides opportunities, I thought the cast shouldn’t prevent Pat from having some.
So Pat, here are some I thought of for you…hope others will offer more.
10 Daring Adventures in a Red Cast
1. Start a gratitude list. Keep a notebook or your IPad next to your bed. Before drifting off, write down 5 things that you’re grateful for from the day. Some might include: “Grateful for having the surgery during the summer so I can still be in the classroom in September” or “Grateful for this not being January and my toes getting frostbite”. Check out Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach for some great inspiration.
2. Bucket of photos. Pat and I talked about this one. Doesn’t everyone have a hoard of photos they’ve always meant to arrange/sort/file/destroy. What a great opportunity to revisit all those memory points.
3. Genealogy. Now that those pictures are all around you in little boxes or scanned into your computer, why not work on your family tree. The Armchair Genealogist is a perfect site to get some ideas on how to tell your family where they came from. Or maybe you’d rather make a ‘life journal“.
4. Take a course from your armchair. Isn’t it amazing we can learn virtually anything at all, and for free. Places like Udemy and ITunes University provide opportunities to keep those brain cells clicking.
5. Letters to Soldiers. Tell a soldier thank you. Make someone’s day across the world or maybe even send a card to the local VA hospital.
6. Reading. I’m sure telling a teacher to read is like telling a duck to swim, but how about a different read. There are so many lists out there. Try The Top 100 Books Every Woman should read as a starting point. Also, maybe read some new first grade books you might have missed. Maybe invite one or two friends to talk about them…they’ll bring the goodies so you can keep your leg up.
7. 102 days until the November election. Are there some state or local candidates that you support? Perhaps you can make phone calls from home, or email your friends telling them who you’re supporting, perhaps you can have a ‘coffee’ in your home for a candidate. Grassroots works.
8. Home repairs. No, Pat you can’t go up the ladder! How many times have we put something off getting fixed around the house because making the appointment is a pain. We have to schedule being home. We have to wait for hours. They’re always late. Well…you’re home! Do you need the furnace checked, the faucet fixed, the carpets cleaned? Now might be the perfect time.
9. The ‘old bucket list’. Rent/livestream or generally watch the great movie, The Bucket List. Life goes quickly, doesn’t it. One day we’re 18 and the next we’re facing retirement. So keep a small notepad next to your chair. The first 25 of a 100-item list usually come rather quickly, then it takes some work. Before you start pushing up daisies what do you want to do, see, say? Just by writing the list you’ll be amazed at what happens in the next 6 months.
10. Decorate your cast. I don’t know how long your cast had been on when we met Pat. But, it was all sparkly clean. Carry a marker with you and have everyone decorate your leg. Here’s one I found that you can add from me: This is my first virtual cast-signing. Thanks for breaking me in 🙂
Pat, I wish you well. May your leg and toes get better and that you’ll have lots of other daring adventures. Let me know how you’re doing and what other adventures I should add to the list that you’ve discovered all dressed up in a red cast.
P.S. On Friday I discovered a friend’s neighbor is now sporting a pink cast…the best to her as well.
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