Light and momentary troubles

I am going to get it out there: I am injured. I had a not-at-all spectacular fall while skiing the best conditions I have ever in my life skiied at Copper Mountain 2 weeks ago today. Powder. I cut it to stop mid-slope on a gradual slope and just pushed down on my outside edge too hard, heard 2 pops and immediately grabbed my right knee. I ended up falling, but the damage had been done when I stopped - "obliterated" MCL, completely torn ACL, small fracture of the tibia. ACL reconstructive surgery is prescribed. So is 2-4 weeks of no more than 20% body weight on my right leg to make sure the fracture heals before surgery. Crutchs (awmygoshno).

I didn't drive for 10 days. My friends provided meals for over a week without coordinating, just out of goodness and generosity.  They drove my kids and me all around to school, appointments, practices. They gave me medical equipment I didn't want but desperately need and use religiously - crutches, an ice bath that is electric and amazing, and a [flipping] walker.I had just stocked my fridge with groceries so today, 2 weeks out from the injury, I am just having to send Mike to the store for the full week of shopping. I hope all the children in the grocery store have on ear muffs today as Mike tries to find all the items on the list.

I know there will be a road to recovery marked with more inconvenience, pain, and challenges Other people are going to continue to be burdened by my burden - I don't carry it alone. Beautiful! I read recently that these are light and momentary troubles. None of them are that big of a deal. These troubles aren't going to make a difference in the big scheme of things. Even really big problems according to our world don't get any easier to deal with when we think of them as big. Let's think of them as light, and momentary.

Like this: Your problem arrives. You say to yourself : this won't be my problem forever. This isn't too heavy for me and my community to carry. This is light and momentary.

So, the next time you are faced with someone who is rude, grumpy, unethical, needy, irritating, complaining, or generally miserable, consider they may just be dealing with a problem they have allowed to become too big or too permanent to them. Once they realize they are not consumed by their problem or stuck forever in it, they will be free to be kind and themselves again. What if instead of passing judgment and keeping distance from messy people, we saw how we are just like them, but with a different perspective and stepped in to change course?

And the next problem that comes up, remember to grab it by it's ugly little ears and say: you are light and momentary and I can't wait until you are gone.