So today is my birthday. WOOOOOOOO! Before the candles (lots of candles) come out and the presents (oh yes – lots of presents!) let’s back up a bit. What are the plans for this birthday? It’s not an epic birthday… not one of those black cards with an over the hill kind of birthday but let me put it to you this way, I have been fighting this “getting older” thing since I was in my late 30’s. I’m not winning.
Hence… why I like to photograph high school seniors. They are my fountain of youth. They may not see it that way, more like the dorky mom from band who likes to take photos but to me – they help me capture my youth back a bit. Thank you class of 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012… you get the picture. (ha! Pun!)
Back to the plans for the big day. Are there any? Nope. I’m laying low. Really low. Not because I want to, but because I basically have to. You see, what feels like eternity but has only been 9 days ago I decided that I wanted to get my motorcycle license. It wasn’t a spur of the moment thing, I have been thinking about this for over a year and I started to get serious about it 3 months ago. I didn’t want to be on the back of my husband’s bike but be the person who was doing the riding. My husband rides, my son rides, my sister and her husband rides, I was last in the pack.
My husband found me a class for that weekend that was an all women class and after 5 hours of video / test review I passed the written test and was ready to get on a bike and learn to ride. I was into 2 1/2 hours of riding, trying to master the clutch, throttle, both breaks and still look up at the instructor as I rode down the course to him. I was enjoying the thrill that for once my weight wasn’t necessarily an issue and that everything was balancing well. I wasn’t the star of the class but I was holding my own and I was excited that I hadn’t been held back for remedial training so I must be doing ok. Well, I had to make a turn in the course, I was on a small incline and that was giving me troubles and I tried to give it a little NOT A LOT of throttle and release the clutch a little and NOT A LOT and still get the bike turned towards the next straight drive. What happened next was lots of throttle, a lot of screaming, not me grabbing both breaks but only one and then me on the ground with the bike on me.
It sounds worse and trust me I don’t take this lightly. I know that for the safety reasons of the class (helmet, long sleeves, (even if it’s HOT), boots, gloves) without any of those things on this could have been a much different scenario that wouldn’t be pretty. And even if I had finished the class I would still wear all these protection items because I know that they may not save my butt, but it’s going to darn well try in the process.
Where does your Mid-Life Crisis come in? Don’t you get it… I think I’m in it already!
In the shock of it all and after waiting almost an hour for the instructor to clear me to drive home – I was able to walk away. Over that weekend, nursing a bruised ego, skinned up knee and elbow, bruises that are still evident but in such odd places both my husband and I keep wondering “How? Why there?” and a very swollen ankle, on Monday we wanted to make sure nothing was serious damaged. “It’s just a sprain” turned into “hairline fracture on the ankle”. What turned into an awkward boot that I hated has turned into a black uncomfortable cast (can I have the boot back please?). And that is when I start to wonder – – am I having a mid-life crisis?
Maybe I am, pretty sure I am but maybe I’m not. But what I have learned in the past 9 days takes me out of the mid-life crisis and puts me in the ‘you are an adult’ area (ewwww)
Receiving Help: Having to rely on another person for the tiniest things such as getting into pj’s when you have a cast is frustrating. I adore my husband who has been through this with me from the get go. He helps the huge mountains become little obstacles that help me make it through the day. We are all independent to a degree and when you get knocked down like this (my puns are hilarious…) you appreciate the help that is offered to you, be it a co-worker, friend and especially the loved family members.
Patience: Having a cast on doesn’t make it easy to stride out the door and be on our merry way. I have gone from crutches to this 4 wheeled friend that my co-workers love to see me scoot around in. Learning to think out my plan of action and be patience if things don’t go right and having to find a 2nd or 3rd idea in place has become my norm.
Slow Down: I have been telling my mom this for years and I have realized I am her child. Having to sit on the sofa almost 12 hours isn’t the grandest thing to do on a weekend but it does make one slow down and think. Relax. If you can’t get to the phone ringing or a text message fast enough, it’s ok. The world will not fall apart. Trust me teens… it won’t.
Appreciate Everything I can’t even go into this one enough. Sentimental? Yep. Having the freedom to get up and go where ever I wanted, when I wanted, to do the dishes, laundry, out on the deck is now a pre-planned operation and for most of them is handed off to my husband to handle for the time being. Take a look again at my 4 wheeled friend, can’t do laundry with that baby. So the mundane things we dread to do, someone out there can’t and would do anything to be able to do it. The birthday and an ankle in a cast makes you look at things differently.
So with it being my birthday, I think I have done a pretty bang up job so far that laying low and relaxing a foot on a pillow with some ice cream is in order… while I wonder what crazy thing I’ll do next before I turn 50! Have any suggestions?
Happy 40 + a year or 2 to Me!
Are you booking any sessions? YES! After July 1st I hope to be back in the sporty boot which I was close to getting around without crutches! I have an assistant with me this summer and I’m sure we will cause all kinds of havoc and break my other ankle!
