Injuries and Healers

September, 2016

It was my first year of college, and I was already off to a bad footing. Literally. The second day of class I twisted my ankle really bad at rugby practice and was unable to play. I couldn't join any of the frisbee or volleyball games that popped up every week. All the get-togethers gace me little joy because I couldn't goof around or do anything fun. All that was left to me was sitting and talking. Talking isn't that bad, but when it isn't tempered by running around and exercise, it becomes quite a chore. Anybody who knows me knows that I'm always moving around doing something or other, and that I can't stand to do nothing for too long a time. So you can see it was a little annoying for me to not be able to run around and do stuff, and I tried my best to get off my crutches as soon as possible. Well, I was too hasty. I'm always too hasty when it comes to this sort of thing. I switched to walking with a stick, my baculum as it was affectionately known as, but I did it too soon. My ankle had not healed, and walking with the stick made it worse. Finally, I realized the error of my ways and switched back to crutches for it to heal completely. This, unfortunately for me, was about a week and a half before finals week.

The seniors had a fund-raiser for their gift to the school that weekend, and they invited everybody out to the loft of this barn out in the countryside to watch a movie for five dollars a person. Most of the freshmen went out to show their support, I among them. I dawdled along behind most of the group, taking it slow on my crutches. When I entered the barn, a bright smile leapt across my face. I love barns. They're always so much fun to climb around in and explore, and this one had plenty of beams going every which way. I reached for the nearest one and hoisted myself up with my arms, one foot pushing against the wall to help up, the hurt one dangling and just hanging around for the ride. I proceeded in this way around the beams, and then I came to what seemed like a window. It was, in fact, and it opened out into the loft area, which I found out when it was opened and two seniors poked their heads out. "Look at this guy, climbing around up there. Yeah you know his leg is really hurt!" The first taunted. The second chimed in, "Boy, he's just acting for the attention all right!" "Haha, right before finals too. Trying to get some pity points from the professors, maybe edge your grade up a bit, eh?" They laughed together. My smile dropped. I was angry, more so than I'd been in for several months. If they only knew...  I wanted to spit in their faces, or worse. But I controlled myself and just climbed down. I didn't go towards the stairs, I didn't buy a ticket, I just left. I ran into someone from my class as I was hopping away on my crutches, and they asked me where I was going. I just needed to get something out of my truck I told them. I got in, shut the door, and sat there for five minutes, fuming. I was already missing out on most of the fun, and the little I could find for myself only got people to think I was pretending injury just for attention. Words have difficulty describing what I felt like that night. Finally, I just drove away, leaving everybody behind to enjoy themselves, all too quickly going from righteous anger to bitterness. And not just at the two seniors, but at all of life. Nobody would even notice I was gone I told myself, and it doesn't matter, nothing matters.

But then, my phone rang. Who would call me at this time of night? It was Luke. He wanted to know if I had left since he knew I was there but didn't see me. I told him, shortly because I was still angry, that I had indeed left. He must have sensed something was up, because he asked why I'd left, to which I replied that I'd tell him tomorrow and to go ahead and enjoy the movie. He said a couple other words of encouragement, then we hung up. It wasn't a very long conversation, but it was influential. It changed the course of that night, spurring me out of my self-pity and bitterness, inviting me to re-evaluate the situation, and maybe even slow down to at least ten over the speed limit. The next day we talked about the night before and he really put things in perspective, sympathized with my situation, and encouraged me on for the road ahead. He was there for me when I didn't ask for his help, but that was precisely when I needed it the most. We all want friends like this. So ask yourself: are you that friend? Do you keep an eye out for things that are off-kilter in others' lives? Do you give encouragement and exhortations? Are you that friend who will do everything for his brother or sister? Sometimes you'll never know if what you've done was any help. Sometimes there isn't much glory in it, not much praise, and it's never center-stage. But sometimes it's all that matters. What else is there for me to say? Do it. Be the friend. Love isn't a feeling, it's an action. So show it.