Today I tripped. It was an awful fall. A fall down a flight of stairs. I didn’t slide down, I didn’t stumble or tumble.  I fell forward, face first.  The kind of fall that could break your arm, your neck or your back.

Full disclosure here. I trip a lot. Some examples include, tripping on the rock on the Ward Lake trail while walking the dog. I ended up flat on my stomach with bloody palms and knees, the terrified dog racing off down the path. Another time Scott and I were walking on the docks. The wide, flat, empty docks. A forklift used for moving gangways was the only thing in sight. Looking out over the water I tripped on the lift. I have tripped on the curb, slipped in water, had my clog fall off…. all these things resulted in monumental falls. But nothing like this.  And the older I get the worse it hurts.

So back to the trip this morning. I was late for work. This sweater needs a scarf I though so I dashed down the stairs.  I ran. My toe caught and my knees collapsed. It happened in slow motion, but weirdly, it was also too fast to do anything.  I lay at the bottom stunned, but knew everything was OK. I knew that my knees hurt, my ribs hurt and my left arm hurt. My neck hurt from my head snapping back, and there is a hole in my lip where my tooth almost went through.  But I pulled myself up and laid on my bed, the scarf long forgotten.

I am not looking for sympathy here, (Ok, a little, maybe), but as I have processed this all day today while at work, although I considered calling in sick, and I realize how bad this could have been for me. That head snapping motion. The way my ribs hit the stair… among many other possibilities. I cried. I have been shaky all day. It was not until lunch, which I took to my office and ate quietly, reflectively, that I realized I needed say a little thanks. Prayer is hard for me. I was raised with religion, but not prayer.

But I am a seeker.  I read a book recently called “Help, Thanks, Wow.” Three prayers.  The “Help” prayer was pretty obvious, said while falling down a set of stairs.  I realized there, at my desk I need to quickly pray the “Thanks” part.  And I prayed it again driving home, heck I will pray it again… just as soon as this post is done!

And now.  The “Wow” part of that prayer, I am going to focus on  the “Wow” – the awe found in the world around me.  Because… one wrong step and….