Article by Dr. Ng Wai Sheng
Picture by listatener @ pixabay
Our doubt is our passion. And our passion is our task. The rest is the madness of art. ~ Henry James
Few weeks ago I had a slip in the bathroom. Within seconds, I found myself completely loss of any control and my body toppled over and slammed onto the cold tiled floor, with my head landing right between the basin and the toilet! There was a loud thump, and I thought to myself: Oh dear, I’m for sure going to crack a bone or something… And my catastrophic mind rushed in:
What if I can’t move? How do I call for help? Will I bleed to death? Oh no, will the homestay manager enter later and find me naked on the bathroom floor? And if he calls the police, everyone else will see me naked! And the next day’s news headlines will show: Naked psychologist found dead in a hotel bathroom…. YIKES!!!!
While my fantasies were running wild, I managed to sit up slowly and check myself. Both my kneecaps were badly bruised, I had a cut on my right shin, a slightly swollen elbow and minor scratches on the other elbow. That’s about it! Nothing broken! Moreover, I’m even thankful to my meaty chest for saving my pretty face from hitting the floor (God knows how vain I am!!). Undoubtedly, as a very wise friend put it: Mother Nature (and my Heavenly Father) definitely had their protective hands on me.
The next morning, I woke up with a very sore body, as though I had done a major workout the day before. That’s when it dawned on me that from the way that I had slipped, I could have fallen backward and it’d have been worse. Instead, my body used all its strength to pull me forward and kept the injury to the minimum. This realization made me very thankful to my chiropractor and Pilates instructor who have been working with me over the last few years to strengthen my back and my core muscles.
This fall reminds me a few things:
- Life is fragile. We can hurt, break and even die at any moment of time. So a fall like this actually invites me to live life to the fullest NOW. For me, this means to confront my fears and doubts (and I have MANY!), to embrace my dreams and create the life and experiences that I want to see happen.
- Control is overrated. Since young, I was taught to live a careful life. I thought if I’m careful or smart enough, I could prevent as many problems as possible. Truth is, if I had not fallen, I have nothing to learn from. And the more I fall and pick myself up again, the more I realize where my strengths and limitations are. The more human I become.
- Muscles are important. They are the unsung heroes in our daily functions, but they become life-savers in times of crisis! I didn’t know what my body can do, and how it tries to protect me, until when it was put to test. Even then, muscles are built slowly over time. So, whether it is physical or emotional muscles, the more we work on them, the stronger they become.
So friends, what are you waiting for? What fear or doubt is holding you back? Don’t wait till you have a fall to remind you. Do it now.