Reflecting on a needed break

(It’s been months since I shared my previous column. I hope to get back into frequent writing, but it won’t always be on a schedule. I may post columns once a week or once a month. There are too many things in life that are put on hold or missed when there are self-imposed deadlines. I also don’t plan to continue to send out email reminders about new columns. Please bookmark the link to this site and feel free to share the link with friends.)

If we’re smart, we never stop learning. Even if we’re not, we don’t stop learning. Which is why there is no doubt that we’re never too old to learn.

I’ve learned a lot during a three-month break from writing.

I’ve learned that I missed this.

I’ve learned that writing shouldn’t be a burden, and that when it is, I need to take a break, which I did.

That wasn’t all I learned. Some of our best lessons are learned the hard way. Literally.

For example, I learned that when you need to get a box from a high shelf in the garage, you should climb on a ladder and not onto a chair and then onto a shelf, even if you’ve done it the lazy way 100 times before.

I learned that concrete floors are very hard. I learned that a deep bruise is better than a broken hip, but it still causes a lot of pain.

I learned that crutches are an important inconvenience.

I learned that being pushed around Disney in a wheel chair is not fun. I also discovered that many people will help you when you are not able to walk, but many others will cut in front of you so they won’t be slowed down by your disability. Many others are so focused on their phone that they don’t pay attention to where they are walking.

I learned how much I missed walking. I learned how much I took for granted being able to get up and move without a second thought or sharp pain.

I learned that when you are temporarily incapacitated, you have more time to think about things in life. Sometimes that is good; sometimes not.

I thought about how quickly and permanently things can change in life, especially with those who are important to us. I thought about how much I miss time with family members who are far away.

I thought about how much we worry about things that aren’t that important, and how little thought and time we give to those who are.

I thought about why we get angry or impatient with those close to us. I thought about the importance of forgiveness. I wondered, and still do, why we make life so complicated.

Sometimes I thought about how quickly life passes, and how quickly special people pass from our lives. Several times I kept hearing the lyrics “Life’s about changing, nothing ever stays the same” by songwriters Burton Collins and Karen Taylor-Good in the Patty Loveless song, “How can I help you say goodbye.” Contrary to another line in that song, time doesn’t always ease the pain.

Things do change, and as difficult as it may be, we need to accept that and not let the past dampen the present or damage the future.

I thought about what is happening in our country because of all the political division.

I thought about what is happening in our families because we don’t spend enough time together and aren’t willing to repair conflicts.

I thought about those who are less fortunate and wondered why more of us don’t do more to help them.

I even thought about newspapers and the future of news coverage, which is critical to maintaining many of the freedoms that we enjoy and often take for granted.

I thought about all of the beauty that is in the world, how much we take that for granted, too, and how much I want to see more of it while I’m able to get around.

During my break, I learned how much I missed reading, especially fiction. For several years prior to my retirement, I collected a small library of books and I finally am finding time to enjoy some of them. I thought about writing a book – and may do that at some point – but the inspiration and motivation haven’t hit me yet. Maybe it won’t. I think that’s OK.

I’ve been reminded that I can’t control everything around me and that all of us need to relearn the importance of compromising.

I’m convinced, more than ever, that if we abide by those three most important words – faith, hope and love – out of them will grow a lot of good, including forgiveness, tolerance and charity.

Mostly, I’ve been reminded that I still have a lot to learn. Don’t we all?