I’m left handed. Not “mostly” left-handed. Not “I can use either hand.”
I mean left-handed.
For nearly 80 years, if something needed to be written, carried, cut, opened, buttoned, or fixed, my left hand handled the job.
That all changed the day I broke my left collar bone… In an instant, I went from being left-handed to being single-handed.
My arm was tucked in a sling, and I couldn’t use it for much of anything. Everything had to be done with my right hand.
Trust me… that hand wasn’t nearly as excited about the idea as everyone evidently thought it should be.
One day I was complaining to my friend, Steven, about all the things I couldn’t do.
He just looked at me with a straight face and said; “Writing right-handed isn’t hard. You’ve just been using the wrong hand all along. Don’t beat yourself up over a dumb mistake.”
That’s Steven.
Some friends bring sympathy. He brings laughter.
And sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
I thought the broken bone was going to be the hard part…
I was wrong!
It was all the everyday things that require both hands.
- Putting toothpaste on the toothbrush.
- Buttoning my blouse. Ladies, you already know what I’m about to say… putting on a bra was an Olympic event;
- Washing and drying my hair.
- Opening bottles.
- Fastening my seat belt- Writing… It was BAD – I really needed a Big Chief Writing tablet!
- Typing or texting.
Trying to do just about anything that I’d done automatically all my life.
There were new “things” every day.
That’s when I realized how much we take for granted.
Let’s try an experiment…
Find a scarf…a necktie…or even a belt.
Use it to tie your dominant arm against your side. Now leave it there for an hour or so.
Try making a sandwich.
Write a grocery list.
Open a can of coke.
Send a text message.
It won’t take long before you are totally frustrated, and the belt or scarf comes off.
Now imagine living with that… not for an hour… not for 6 weeks.
But for the rest of your life.
My collarbone healed. But there are millions of people who live with a disability that doesn’t heal.
Since then, I’ve found myself noticing people I might have walked right past before.
– The young mother navigating life from a wheelchair.
– The veteran who’s learned to live without a limb or limbs.
– The older woman whose hands shake as she counts out her change.
They’re not asking for sympathy… They may be doing the best they can with the hand life dealt them.
One more thing about Steven.
He was one of the very first people I called after I learned about my cancer diagnosis.
His message to me is one I’ll probably keep forever.
“There’s not a better-equipped 80-year-old on earth to roll up her sleeves and show this diagnosis who’s boss. Your outlook on life—and more importantly, the way you live your life—is energetic and inspirational. While many people your age are simply waiting to see what life throws at them next, you’re still building your résumé.
“Get in the ring. Take your swings. I’ll take the microphone and handle the public service announcements between rounds.”
That’s what good friends do.
They remind us who we are when life tries to convince us otherwise.
And if a broken collarbone taught me anything, it’s this:
Sometimes God teaches us life’s biggest lessons through life’s smallest inconveniences. Never take the little things for granted.
Because someday, one of those little things may become a very big thing.
Coffee Conversation
Have you ever had an injury, illness, or disability that made you appreciate something you’d always taken for granted?
I’d love to hear your story in the comments.
As long as God gives me another sunrise, He isn’t finished writing my story.
And that means He’s not finished with yours either.
Cheryl
PS – Have you ever tried to peel a banana with one hand… or get the fitted sheet on the bed?
