Shoelaces

Shoelaces are an important detail to pay attention to.

One of these came undone this morning, and had I not been paying attention, I would have fallen. Again.

February was supposed to be a productive month for me. Book launches and activities related to my writing adventure were scattered throughout the first few weeks. Then ChosenCon was scheduled for the end of the month.

Well, a routine dental surgery turned into a big procedure and took over two weeks to recover from. Right when all the “book stuff” was going on. Which means I missed every event I had been excited about.

When I was finally coming out the other side of the dental issue, the shoelaces on my work boots got tangled up in each other, and I took a hard fall. The cantaloupe-sized bruise was not as painful as the flashbacks I had. I prayed going down not to break another rib.

Ironic. I wore those specific shoes because of how sturdy they are, and I wanted to be as safe as possible while walking the dogs. This was just a week before the convention.

In one of my regret texts about having to bow out of an invite, a friend stated, “God must have something for you in the silence.” Which I found comforting. Because I agreed. There must be some nugget in all this for me.

No big epiphanies came. I got over my embarrassment and disappointment. I didn’t wallow – a bad habit I used to have that I’m thankful I’ve “kicked.” I didn’t push those feelings away either. I honored them for a short time, which I feel is important. Pushing feelings aside is not healthy. Neither is stewing in them. I looked them face-to-face, acknowledged them, then let them go. No use crying over spilt milk, as my dad used to say. Also, knowing I ultimately don’t have control over much, and trusting in the One that does, has given me a ton of freedom from emotional spiraling.

One thing I’ve learned to do well the past few years is to roll, and I mean, ROLL with the changes. (a song I’ve always loved). I’ve lost the ability to drop and roll, obviously, which was something I did well in my Taekwondo days. I blame aging, osteopenia, etc. Some things we just have to accept.

So this morning, when I felt the tug on my feet, I stopped, looked down, and fixed the shoelace problem that could’ve taken me down if I had been moving too fast. Moving fast in my younger days was not a problem. These days, I have to be mindful of a lot more, including where my feet go and at what speed. Walking meditation is good for the soul anyway.

I still don’t know what God wanted me to find in the silence, pain, disappointment, or disruption. Truthfully, and almost comically, that seems to have been a repetitive theme in my life thus far. So much so that Bob and I laugh about it these days. I will say that unexpected and unwelcome interruptions have taught me a lot about patience and acceptance in ways I doubt many other things could have.

Maybe the lessons in this particular stillness were simple.

Pay attention to your shoelaces.

Take better care of your teeth.

Slow down. Get strong.

Move on with a smile.

Big things. Little things. There’s really not a big difference at the end of the day. They both shape you in their own way. Mindfulness is a superpower. Acceptance is a strength. And smiling is just as good for your soul as everyone else around you.

But seriously, pay attention to your shoelaces.