LESSONS FROM FALLING

PRACTICE: RECALL ONE THING THAT FAILURE HAS TAUGHT YOU.

I fell recently...not in the privacy of my home ... but in a restaurant full of people. And it wasn’t a slip and catch yourself on the way down. I hit the floor and perhaps bounced a little. The hostess, another employee and a patron helped me pull my rear end off the floor. Thankfully the only thing bruised was my ego. Immediately everyone looked on the floor for a cause. It was clean. My fall was caused by inattentiveness to the fact that the floor and my cute high heeled shoes were incompatible. As I was being helped up, I noticed a peer seated to my right, compounding my embarrassment. Almost instantly, I was grateful for the hours of yoga and other physical activity that aided my flexibility and help me to gracefully get up. By the way, I was carrying my traveling container of coffee, it never left my hand.

As I processed the fall later during the day, I saw similarities between my physically hitting the floor and hitting the floor emotionally and spiritually (failure).

I can end up on an emotional floor by inattentiveness to the practices and habits that keep me whole and healthy. Lack of proper sleep, diet and exercise are a guarantee that sooner rather than later I will get sick. Being mean or nasty to family, friends and /or coworkers...will alienate them and I can end up on the floor of loneliness and isolation. You get the drift! I wish that awareness of these was as instant as my physical fall so that I could rise gracefully and make amends quickly. That’s not usually the case. When I neglect to spend quiet time listening for guidance and direction, I can end up on the floor spiritually drained.

Like my incident at the restaurant, people (even strangers) can notice my plight and come to my rescue if I will allow them to do so. People that know me may let me struggle as my peer did. He was not being insensitive. I’d like to think that he felt his helping would have added to my embarrassment. Could it be that friends/ family feel that way when we have fallen short of being less than our best? The stranger that came to my rescue knew nothing about me. The restaurant employees were doing their job. Regardless, they all helped one who had fallen. I am grateful for them and I am grateful for a body that was somewhat prepared by years of exercise to fall and get up with no damage.

Psalm 145:14 - The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.

PONDER THIS THOUGHT – Falling down (failure) is a great teacher if we are open to instruction.