Lessons in Wait

 In that moment, I see his shoulders physically slump. He’s been wavering between moments of “I’m ok”, and “Mother of Pearl, I’m depressed. I hate this. I’m sick of being broken”. 

Just an hour ago, he was excited to go to dinner with just his parents—No siblings—The proverbial center of attention. But now, he’s got a stomach ache. He isn’t going to order any food. I’ve no doubt it’s because his arm is at 25%. Like a flower after a storm, I see him, battered and wilted. Physically. Emotionally. 

Friday morning while working on his forensics study, he cocked his cast like the slide on a handgun. “Mom, I have to be honest. This thing is loose.”

🙄 in my spare time, I take him BACK to the clinic. They put on his 3rd cast since 2.5 weeks ago.  The swelling is down. The muscle, plays the victim of atrophy.

It’s really difficult to be physically incapacitated. In the last calendar year, the 3 men in my house have been laid up, separately, at one point or another. 

I’ve witnessed, each of them, fall into the throes of depression while laying around unable to do the things they love. They are supposed to be healing. They are forced to slow down. Gods plan and their plan, are not the same plan. 

What is His plan? 

I think it’s critical, to ask ourselves “What is the lesson here?”. Yes, some accidents are just that. Tragedy, the same, exactly what it is: tragedy. 

What, though, can we learn in the face of an accident or tragedy?! 

At times, we choose depression, anger, frustration and despair. Although, it feels more fitting that those things choose us.

In between moments of sadness, we might learn patience, respite and the joyful art of slowing down.

I proclaim slowing down an art form, because we don’t live in a world of wait. We live, in a place and time, where fast is better, and waiting is intolerable. 

In the midst of the crisis, rarely do you learn the lesson. When the dust settles, though, you can reflect. 

So as Allen healed from a calf tear that both infuriated him and stole the entire fall ball season, he decided to take back his life. One year later, he’s lost 80 pounds and he’s running those bases faster than any other season. 

Logan, with a broken finger in May, learned that his employer truly cares for him. They found jobs for him despite the injury, where another company may have laid him off without pay. He recognized that he really does enjoy physical labor and he was devastated to be on light duty. 

Silas has broken both wrists this calendar year. The lessons of adversity are abundant.  Right now, we’re just not sure what they are.