Much To Do About Writing: Healing After Injury

Anise, my best milker, with a halo of webs between her ears

Hi readers,

It's been too long since I last posted. I injured my back: four torn ligaments and various other injuries to hips, neck and pelvis.

I have a goat farm, with two does to milk, so how do I heal properly with all that responsibility? Or how do I heal at all, for that matter?

The Lord was gracious and sent caregivers to my home. It was rough going, no sitting, only reclining, no standing, stooping, or lying flat. Heat and ice a million times a day, and doctor's orders: walk, walk, walk.

I found I could cook our meals, though. Whew, at least I was good for something. I still had to have help with pot and pans lifting and someone else doing the cleanup (my husband did mountains of dishes). :))

I even discovered mountain climbing while we deer hunted helped my lower back. I started out with small inclines and when my back didn't hurt, I graduated. My husband and I climbed our first ever mountain, and that's the day he shot his first deer in thirty years. Wow, huh.

What does this have to do with writing? Much to do about writing.

I now know what it's like to feel the pain of torn ligaments, so I can write about it with authority. I now know what it's like to teach people to milk goats. I've learned it's humbling to ask people a half a dozen times a day to pick up what I've dropped on the floor. I've been embarrassed when someone younger than me, a 13-year-old, mine you, shakes a finger when she's caught me bending to pick up something I've dropped.

I observed the people who cared for me. I learned more about different types of personalities for characters in future stories. What I learned the most is that I'm a projects person and when I'm down, I lose a bit of who I think I am. I'm a doer. I have two speeds: fast and faster. I'm still moving a bit slower these days, but I can do fast once again. Every so often. When it's a better day. :)

To sum up, a writer never, ever let's life experiences go to waste. And a Christian never, ever passes an opportunity to see what God may have in mind for us as we suffer in the moment.

Until next time . . . live life and use it to write.