a break

My ex-husband is director of a San Francisco non-profit which plants trees all around town. One of the banes of his existence is the fact that many won’t plant a tree in front of their home or business due to the small chance that someone will trip and fall, and sue. This is so much on his mind that his first words to me when I called him on Tuesday night to tell him I’d broken my elbow were, “Can you sue anybody?” Given that I’d tripped on one of his trees in a freak accident, I’m choosing to hold fate responsible, and you can’t sue fate. We both ended up laughing heartily and he’s now forced to believe that people actually sometimes fall due to the dip between concrete and dirt, while I’m still shaking my head that one of those people turned out to be me. Those Fates sure have a wicked sense of humor!

Every seven years for the past 14 years, I’ve broken an elbow. This is the third time, hopefully a charm, something I won't have to do again. I’m thinking on the significance of breaks, and know that obviously there is something the universe is trying to tell me. Where's that decoder ring when you need it? Given this is my right elbow, and I am right handed, I am having to approach the world from a different angle, even learning to write left-handed. Another part of my brain and being is in use, and I’m slowing way down….and not just due to the pain pills. I can’t type, so even this blog comes courtesy of asking for help, something that has not been my forte. Elbows are supposedly about changing directions and accepting new experiences. Every time I broke my elbow before it was right before or after a major life change. Mmmmmmmmm.......but that seems to be so ongoing! Maybe one thing I could do is schedule a real slow down and retreat for myself every seven years. Are you hearing that, Fates?

Blogs might be few and far between, but had to get this out today because I may be broken, but I AM A WINNER! I am the first-prize winner of the first annual Spicy Cauldron Award for my blog on Drawing Down The Elvis. When I am less addled by pain and pain meds, I’ll even figure out how to post my trophy on my blog. As Elvis would say, Thank you, Thank you very much! Winning this was one lucky break, and as I sit here with my cracked elbow...also known as the funny bone, I'm wondering on the wierdness of it all and invoking gentle and easy breakthroughs.