Choose wisely!
This story was originally published in Magicbytes, my substack newsletter.
Today, I want to celebrate a milestone with you!
After all the rest and recovery from a surgical procedure, I finally finished my first 5k run in the last three months.
In my last seven years of running, I never thought I would take some time to recognise a 5k run! That is Life’s way of telling me: Don’t you ever feel less or more of what you can do right now, for you never know what lies ahead of you!
After the misdiagnosis episode, I decided to take the next 100 days off work to focus on the handpicked priorities of my Life!
Our mini family vacation, which I had booked to celebrate my 40th birthday, was the first on the list. Except I got sick the day we started the trip and finally got better only on the last day of our vacation. Nevertheless, I did everything I could to enjoy the lovely holiday: pool time with kids, the unstoppable waves on the beach, the gushing waterfalls, the long hillside walks, beautiful caves, and whatnot?! I even cut my birthday cake in style! Yay!
The power of reminding my mind that I am the Boss!
So far, so good….until we arrived at the airport to board the flight back home!
When I started thinking about how nicely I had played along through all the recent turmoils, Life whispered in my ears, “Not yet!”
What happened in the next few hours was one such moment for me!
It was only 4.30 pm, and we had a few more hours left for our flight. The airport was super crowded, with almost every seat taken but two. I sat next to my son, watching him enjoy every bit of the lollipop he managed to get with his winning tantrums. My daughter didn’t mind standing, as her eyes were busy grazing the variety of shops she wanted to go to when her Dad returned from the coffee shop.
From a distance, I could spot my husband waiting in line. Right opposite me was seated an elderly couple discussing their itinerary. Beside me, a family of 4 immersed entirely in their virtual world with their gadgets. To my left were seated 2 mothers who were hustling with their 4 kids.
It was so interesting to watch all the people doing things their way. Little did I know then I would grab every one of their attention in a few minutes.
My husband returned with 2 fuming cups, handing over one to me. As I tried to take a sip, I realised the tea was served at a boiling temperature. No sleeves for the paper cup or an extra cup to reduce the intensity of the heat.
Watching my daughter becoming restless about not having a seat, I got up to offer her my chair when it all happened.
I had not even fully stood up when I felt a sharp shooting pain navigating through my right leg; I heard people around me hissing in chorus. The world around me spun super fast in those 5–10 seconds. It took me a bit to realise that the piping-hot chai cup had landed on my right thigh.
The pain grew exponentially the moment I understood what had happened. I quickly turned to check on my kids. My son was sitting still with his lollipop, and my daughter was busy watching something on the phone with her Dad.
While every eyeball around me was fixated on me, awaiting my next move, my daughter and husband were the only two people who didn’t even notice.
I deliberately called out to them to my rescue. My husband looked at me and started laughing, but soon realised something was serious when I did not reciprocate his emotion. Anyway, what else was I expecting from a man who is a big fan of watching “America’s funniest videos”?! 🤪
When I explained to him that the tea was hot, my daughter thought I was blaming my husband and was quick enough to snap at me about being responsible, blah, blah…Thanks to the unbearable pain, my ears were half shut 😉
I promised to be calm, although I wanted to scream in high pitched tone, only I was not sure which one of the disappointing or frustrating life situation to choose from over the last few months. Trust me, they were all equally competitive!
I took a sip of water and poured a bit over my burning leg, attempting to alleviate the slightest trace of pain. I sat down for a while because I was so afraid to move my legs. I pulled a couple of wet wipes from my bag and cleaned the spills on my baggage [Oh, all the insane things a disintegrated mind can make you do! On a normal day, I would not even care about those inconspicuous spills on my baggage!]
After a while, I cleaned up my clothes and returned to my seat, limping around with the constant burning sensation.
I ordered another cup of tea. Although my hands were now shaky enough to receive the hot cup, I finished the drink with the utmost caution, trying to conquer any leftovers of fear!
A positive mind always finds ways to feel gratitude! In that moment of heat, despite all my burns, I was thankful I had caused this accident and not my kids. I felt extra grateful that I did not harm my kids in any way.
The following week, I underwent a surgical procedure[another episode of “life happens”] and felt zero pain! The doctors and nurses were surprised I had no strain! Maybe my pain tolerance had increased from the burn accident at the airport!
The only discomfort I felt was when the doctor told me not to exercise hard for the next few months, just to make sure there were no side effects.
I recovered quickly from the surgery, but the burns took almost 4 weeks to heal. Watching my skin repair, shed, and regrow has been nothing short of a miracle!
Today, I feel more grateful for my resilient body than ever! I am fortunate for every opportunity I give my body to show its worth instead of simply fussing over the weighing scale!
Thanks to all the unprecedented problems, uncertainties, and uninvited changes over the last few months. My Life’s goals and priorities have become more visible through every daunting situation! The path is crystal clear than ever! I know where I should be headed!
The best part of Life is that it always offers you choices, even during the most challenging times. Always choose to see the brighter side! ALWAYS! 😎
My wish for you today: No matter your life situation, fill your heart with gratitude and let it revive your hope with every beat! Allow the Magic to happen!! ❤️
© Tamil, 2022
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Here is a wonderful article, I enjoyed about sunsets and miracles by Victoria Gregg
And another powerful article by Fatunla Samuel about our existence!!
My Magic Bytes 
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