life’s little surprises

I am so very grateful for my practice.  Grateful to have the where with all to step back from what is happening and see the humor and fun in it.  We leave tomorrow on our first family vacation in three years . . . both children, their partners, my husband and the grand baby.  We plan to set out at 6:00 AM.  We arranged our trip to be here tonight for the opening of Gypsy, at Playhouse on the Square.  My son, Jordan, is directing and choreographing the show.  I am so excited.   All good, right?  Yes, of course.

Last night, walking from the front door down into our den where there is a step-down, my flip flop slid to the  side of my foot and I went down hard.  Seems I have done something fairly serious to my ankle.  Is it a strain, a sprain or a broken bone?  I do not yet know the answer to that question.  I immediately put arnica all over my left foot, took to Alieve, and iced the ankle for several hours while we entertained guests.  Slept fine.  Woke up once convinced I was going to ruin our vacation, laughed and went back to sleep.

Drinking my morning coffee, sitting across from my husband with my foot propped up in a chair, musing about the timing of my accident.  I could go to a place of complete self-pity, anger, frustration and sadness.  Oddly enough, I am confident that I will manage fine on the trip.  I will not be riding my bike or walking on the beach, but I can sit and watch the waves, play with Amelia in the sand, read, play games, enjoy the company of my wonderful family and make the most of whatever arises, which looks to include rain.

The point very simply is that nothing is ever what we think it will be.  My second round of cancer has taught me  never to expect life to go as planned.  At the same time, I am learning to love each and every moment of this crazy adventure.  Hopefully I will be able to get into see our friend Arsen, who is an orthopedic specialist, this morning.  Until then I will continue to use arnica ointment and do the best I can to get myself organized for our trip tomorrow.   Thank goodness I am all packed.

 

San Pedro Airport Belize

Here we are a bunch of gringos waiting for the next Tropic Air flight to leave for Dallas.  At least there is air conditioning.  There will not be air on the plane, not cold air anyway.  These little propellers planes flight just a few feet above the ground.  You cannot help but wonder if they have flight plans or whether they just head out willy, nilly and go where ever they want.  Oh well, we got here, I am sure we will get back.

San Pedro Airport

Celery walls, sun

streaming through tinted glass panes.

Tanned we sit, wait.

Flip Flops

Tee shirts, shorts, tank tops.

Tourists chat each other up.

Vacation ends here.

Boarding Pass

Copper, orange, red.

We board by colors not aisles.

Sit with me for now.

Aquarium Please do not touch the

glass walls of the fish tank where

sea creatures abide.

Tracheotomy

Man presses button

in his throat, turns to speak to

his wife.  She listens