Friday, January 05, 2007
A New Kind of Adventure
When I bought the battery powered sweeper, it had never occurred to me that one-handed operation was among its many benefits. Today sweeping the floor was a breeze, although my right hand is sore, swollen and useless. The Swiffer mop was equally easy to use as I explored the new challenge of being temporarily left handed.
What a small inconvenience a painful hand is, compared to the things my friend with ALS has been through, or the one who was paralyzed by a stroke, or the kid with a broken neck, now a quadriplegic. What a good reminder to count my multitude of blessings!
With one hand, I can easily fill the dishwasher, carry snacks to eat in front of the TV, read a book, accompany my singing with chords on the electronic keyboard, and even use the computer, albeit somewhat slowly. And when I tire of adventure, I sit quietly and watch the peaceful falling of snow.
Thinking of being left-handed, I remember writing a theme for a friend in high school. To disguise my penmanship, I wrote with my left hand. When the teacher saw it, she called him to her desk, and I thought the jig was up. Instead, she said, “Now, if you just took the time, your writing could always be this good.” Whew! My writing was a mess, but his was pitiful.
Besides this way of fighting boredom, I also practiced writing backward. How would such a crazy pastime ever be useful? Well, it was. When I started doing painting on glass many years later, everything was backward, so that when the glass was framed, my backward signature was readable. Who knows where your unusual talent may be needed? Practice, practice, practice . . . .
Cora Gail Trent
www.cgtrent.com
cgtrent@att.net
What a small inconvenience a painful hand is, compared to the things my friend with ALS has been through, or the one who was paralyzed by a stroke, or the kid with a broken neck, now a quadriplegic. What a good reminder to count my multitude of blessings!
With one hand, I can easily fill the dishwasher, carry snacks to eat in front of the TV, read a book, accompany my singing with chords on the electronic keyboard, and even use the computer, albeit somewhat slowly. And when I tire of adventure, I sit quietly and watch the peaceful falling of snow.
Thinking of being left-handed, I remember writing a theme for a friend in high school. To disguise my penmanship, I wrote with my left hand. When the teacher saw it, she called him to her desk, and I thought the jig was up. Instead, she said, “Now, if you just took the time, your writing could always be this good.” Whew! My writing was a mess, but his was pitiful.
Besides this way of fighting boredom, I also practiced writing backward. How would such a crazy pastime ever be useful? Well, it was. When I started doing painting on glass many years later, everything was backward, so that when the glass was framed, my backward signature was readable. Who knows where your unusual talent may be needed? Practice, practice, practice . . . .
Cora Gail Trent
www.cgtrent.com
cgtrent@att.net
