The Bici Fall
On Thursday night, I made a fantastic dinner for my good friend Laura at my house. On our way out, on our bikes, for some reason we were speed demons on a very empty road near my house. Since she had no idea what my route is to reach the center. There was a collision.
I braked hard and fell harder, banging up my left side of my face. I immediately rose to my feet, grabbed my bike and cowardly faced the wall, knowing there was significant pain and damage to my face. Laura was speechless. She and I then headed back to my home to address the wounds. It was bloody, but more bruise-like. I refuse to show you a picture of the mess that was my face at impact.
Anyways, I was on the verge of tears as I arrived home. Looking at my beat up face, I look awful, I thought to myself. Why would I go out tonight and scare people off? I can't go out and see friends looking like I was beat up by some hoodlums. I was certain I shouldn't head out for the evening, self-pity swarming over me, I started to get emotional. Laura looked at me to say something similar to this, 'We can either sit here and be sad and miserable or you can show the world that you can get up after a fall'. She was right. As we pulled away with our bikes from the bike rack, I got a bit nervous. "What do our mom's always say, get right back up on the horse!" Laura said. Again she was right. My mom does say that.
I could have fallen into my 'oh woe is me' attitude about my life, love and career. Or I pick myself up by my boot straps and not care what people will think of my disgustingly, bloody and bruised up face. How many times have I been able to have this attitude in general, not caring what people thought about my job, my way of life, my boyfriend. How many accidents have I been in and was able to heal just fine? The moment you let people tell you how you should feel about yourself by reacting to their disbelief, disgust or gasps, then you aren't being true to yourself. People fall, make mistakes in life, why is it that we must compare our situations to others? I have learned to make my situations the norm for me(no comparing what is the right or wrong way to handle it) and be confident in every decision I have ever made. There is nothing more liberating when you feel SO comfortable in your skin that you can show up at a pub and ignore the stares and gasps, knowing the truth. I FELL OFF MY BIKE, I am not disfigured. Knowing most of the people in the pub, we created a story that were got into a scuffle with some guys near the stazione and they beat us up a bit, but we nailed them in the balls and ran. Then the men in the bar, who felt helpless looking at my face, wanted to know who they were and what they looked like, because there were going to find them. In the end, I told the truth as a few friends were getting frazzled.
That night I had a thought as Kelly, Laura and I danced to familiar tunes playing loudly in the pub, Attitude is EVERYTHING! I was laughing and smiling with bruises and bloody wounds on my face, the night ended perfectly. A nice walk with a friend talking and laughing about the night, about it all. You know who your friends are for sure, when Laura put on a fake bruise using my eyeshadow. I could have taken the easy way out and stayed home and wallowed in self-doubt and self-pity, but I CHOSE to be Happy and enjoyed what was left of the night.
My mantra has always been Perseverance but now I am adding Attitude as well. If you really think about the things that happen around us, we always get to choose how we react to them. I am always going to choose Happiness, Laughter, Perseverance, Determination that what ever is happening at the time, does not have to ruin my attitude on my current life events.
Here is the only picture I will publicize:
I am strong and no one can wipe this smile from my face. I am living my dream!!!
a presto amici
I braked hard and fell harder, banging up my left side of my face. I immediately rose to my feet, grabbed my bike and cowardly faced the wall, knowing there was significant pain and damage to my face. Laura was speechless. She and I then headed back to my home to address the wounds. It was bloody, but more bruise-like. I refuse to show you a picture of the mess that was my face at impact.
Anyways, I was on the verge of tears as I arrived home. Looking at my beat up face, I look awful, I thought to myself. Why would I go out tonight and scare people off? I can't go out and see friends looking like I was beat up by some hoodlums. I was certain I shouldn't head out for the evening, self-pity swarming over me, I started to get emotional. Laura looked at me to say something similar to this, 'We can either sit here and be sad and miserable or you can show the world that you can get up after a fall'. She was right. As we pulled away with our bikes from the bike rack, I got a bit nervous. "What do our mom's always say, get right back up on the horse!" Laura said. Again she was right. My mom does say that.
I could have fallen into my 'oh woe is me' attitude about my life, love and career. Or I pick myself up by my boot straps and not care what people will think of my disgustingly, bloody and bruised up face. How many times have I been able to have this attitude in general, not caring what people thought about my job, my way of life, my boyfriend. How many accidents have I been in and was able to heal just fine? The moment you let people tell you how you should feel about yourself by reacting to their disbelief, disgust or gasps, then you aren't being true to yourself. People fall, make mistakes in life, why is it that we must compare our situations to others? I have learned to make my situations the norm for me(no comparing what is the right or wrong way to handle it) and be confident in every decision I have ever made. There is nothing more liberating when you feel SO comfortable in your skin that you can show up at a pub and ignore the stares and gasps, knowing the truth. I FELL OFF MY BIKE, I am not disfigured. Knowing most of the people in the pub, we created a story that were got into a scuffle with some guys near the stazione and they beat us up a bit, but we nailed them in the balls and ran. Then the men in the bar, who felt helpless looking at my face, wanted to know who they were and what they looked like, because there were going to find them. In the end, I told the truth as a few friends were getting frazzled. That night I had a thought as Kelly, Laura and I danced to familiar tunes playing loudly in the pub, Attitude is EVERYTHING! I was laughing and smiling with bruises and bloody wounds on my face, the night ended perfectly. A nice walk with a friend talking and laughing about the night, about it all. You know who your friends are for sure, when Laura put on a fake bruise using my eyeshadow.
I could have taken the easy way out and stayed home and wallowed in self-doubt and self-pity, but I CHOSE to be Happy and enjoyed what was left of the night. My mantra has always been Perseverance but now I am adding Attitude as well. If you really think about the things that happen around us, we always get to choose how we react to them. I am always going to choose Happiness, Laughter, Perseverance, Determination that what ever is happening at the time, does not have to ruin my attitude on my current life events.
Here is the only picture I will publicize:
I am strong and no one can wipe this smile from my face.
I am living my dream!!! a presto amici
At least you are OK,
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Thanks Anne, feel free to take some of my Mantras
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You look great! Katie-you are such a strong woman-you can handle everything that is dished out! Brava!
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Thanks for your words Janie
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I'm so glad you're okay also, and I think your attitude about it is great - you DO have to know how to get up after a fall. Plus, this bruised and bloody face is proof that you were out, living your life to the fullest, instead of hiding at home (safer, but far more boring). I think there's lots of times in our lives that we fall (literally and metaphorically) and end up bruised and battered, and we have to be able to get up and keep going. As for your fall, I think it's just another experience in your adventure, and it's great that you can wear your bruises with pride. I love the mantra that "attitude is everything" and that was a good reminder for me today!
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Lindsay, I truly love to choose my attitude now, it is the only way to be, I think.
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Sorry to hear about your accident! You look good considering what you wrote about what happened to your face.
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