Accidents Happen

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On Monday, the wind blew fierce through the trees where Beaumont the Sheepadoodle and I walk.

It was scary.

As we walked, my body bent forward into the wind, I wondered… on days like today, does the wind blow so fierce because the trees want to dance with wild abandon?

Do they plead with the wind as it blows through their branches telling the stories it has gathered on its travels around the world?… “We’re tired of being rooted to the ground,” the trees wail. “Tired of just holding your stories in our branches. We want to live them. Feel them. Dance with them. Come, blow fierce and mighty through our branches. Let us bend and bow, swirl and sway as we devour every drop of wonder you carry in your mighty breath.”

And does the wind, heeding the calling of the trees’ desire to dance wild and free, rise up and howl in delight, as the trees throw all caution to the wind and dance with abandon in the ecstasy of the wind’s breath?

I decided not to throw caution to the wind and shortened our walk. The threat of being hit by a falling tree limb separating itself from the canopy of naked limbs dancing above was high. Prudence was the name of the game.

The next morning, as I got ready for our walk and closed the door of my bedroom closet, it hit me.

Literally. The door hit me in the forehead. It was propelled by our dresser mirror which, since moving into this house three years ago, had not been mounted to the two wooden bars that should/could/would have kept it in place.

We’d known the movers hadn’t reattached it. Didn’t seem like a big deal. It was relatively stable resting on the dresser. Until it wasn’t.

It’s a big mirror. The force of it hitting the door knocked me to the floor. It also resulted in a gash and lump on my forehead as well as a black eye.

Fortunately, I broke its fall. I’m sure my mother would have said (she was extremely superstitious) that breaking a mirror that size would have required more prayers than even she could have managed!

After two days of doing little, I feel a little more normal this morning – though I won’t be driving to Vancouver as planned to help my daughter and family.

This accident could have been easily prevented had the mirror been properly attached.

But then, many accidents can be prevented.

It’s just, sometimes, we don’t take care of the small things which, left to their own devices, can become big things.

Like a mirror falling on my head and giving me a black eye and a scar to remember it by.

Time to refocus, reassess, restore balance.

Time for a time out…. Perhaps, now that the wind has stopped, I’ll go lie in the winter dry grasses under the canopy of filigreed branches that stretch up towards the sky seeking the sun’s warmth.

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I haven’t had the capacity to focus on writing the past couple of days.

However, as April is “National Poetry Month” and this month’s theme is ‘resilience’ I wanted to start the month off right with a poem – my intent is to write a poem a day for the month – I am not committing myself to it. I am allowing myself to simply be present within the intention – body, mind and spirit – allowing it to happen, or not.

I did however, want to honour the wind and trees and their dance…

Wild, the wind blows fierce
Naked limbs dance in delight
Birds seek safe harbor.

And…. this post is also a response to the weekly prompt posted at Eugi’s Causerie.

The prompt is to use the word ‘canopy’ in any of its forms, in a post.

To read more, and to participate — please do check out the blog — it is full of delightfully delicious words and images and ideas to set your mind a wandering and your spirits soaring.

38 thoughts on “Accidents Happen”

  2. I’m so sorry to hear about your accident Louise – sounds very painful. I’m sure it’s also disappointing for both you and your family in not being able to be with them as planned but it will happen when the time is right! Time to rest and take care of you!🙏🏼💕

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    • Thank you so much Val — it’s the colourful black eye that’s rather disconcerting! I wear sunglasses even when it’s cloudy and a ballcap pulled down to my eyebrows to hide the gash in my forehead! 🙂 🙂 with my mask on it’s all rather…. daunting! 🙂 🙂 🙂 And yes, it will happen when I am right and the time is right! ❤

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  4. Louise, I hope you are on the mend! That is scary and I can’t imagine how frightened you must have been. Your accident certainly hasn’t phased your gift for writing. Thank you so much for joining in and take care.

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    • Thank you Eugi! I am on the mend — though I have decided to wait until next week to see how I feel before driving 11 hours to Vancouver. and my black eye is getting rather colourful!

      and thank you for the prompt — and all your prompts — it truly is inspiring. Much gratitude. ❤

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  7. Oh your Mother must be smiling that the mirror did not crack, break, shatter for her fearless daughter was there! What are the odds, branches whipping back and forth in a frenzy, one surely must break off and hit a target, usually human. Not so! Mother Nature is much more resilient, able to go with the flow. Doors, mirrors not so it seems. They have a mind of their own as you experienced first-hand. Glad you are okay.
    Happy Easter, such as it is.

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    • I know — I thought the irony of it all was rather amusing — and yes, she probably is! Smiling big! ❤ Or perhaps, she was watching over me to make sure it wasn't worse but just wanted to give me a bit of a wake-up call? 🙂 ❤

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  11. Ouch. How scary! You came indoors to make sure you didn’t get hit by a falling branch on a windy day, and end up being felled by a mirror. Go figure! No, we can’t figure the vagaries of “life,” can we? But you were slowed down (you needed that, perhaps?) and injured, but thankfully not as bad as it could have been. Hey, not everyone can say they got a black eye from their mirror! Take care, rest. Yes, we had wind like you describe a few days ago too. I love to watch the tree branches sway and the birds huddle in safe places. In our case, two birds huddled in the wreath on our front door. I made sure to not use the the front door until the wind stopped and they were safe again. xo

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    • Nope. We definitely can’t figure out those vagaries Pam! And how lovely that you sheltered your birds. That must have been the sweetest sight. Along with the branches swaying — they truly are magnificent!
      And yes, I think it may have been my mother protecting me — both by slowing down and ensuring it wasn’t a serious injury! 🙂 ❤

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  12. Oh my goodness! I agree with Pam… something forced you to stop – a tad violently, mind…
    Hope you have no other repercussions save the gash (didn’t need stitches?) and the black eye (a conversation piece 😉 )
    Beautiful haiku.
    You take it easy!! Sorry you missed your trip to Vancouver – for now…

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    • LOL — I’ve always said I’m an experiential learner Dale — though I had hoped that at this age I wouldn’t need quite such big experiences to get the message. Oh well, never too late to grow or to learn a lesson, Non? 🙂 ❤

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  13. Pingback: The Story of Your Dreams | Dare Boldly

    • Yes. Sunglasses definitely help.

      I’m quite the ‘vision’ when I go out. Ballcap pulled low to my eyebrows to hide the gash in my forehead. Sunglasses to shade my eyes – even when it’s cloudy and my mask! Rather fetching I think. Non? 🙂

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  15. I am quite certain the trees don’t ask for that wind, IMO. They can’t possible enjoy being battered around like that storm did the other day. It was a whopper; not fun to drive in I can tell you.
    Interesting that the mirror sat there for a long time before it felled you. Sorry it stopped your trip to Vancouver to see the family – that sucks. I can personally attest to the fact that concussions are hard on the brain and the emotions and rest is super important. Take care.

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  17. Pingback: Eugi’s Weekly Prompt – Canopy – Roundup – Eugi's Causerie

  18. Sorry to hear of the black eye and gash…but it may be good for ‘sympathy’ at least! Apparently there were ‘other’ plans for you for trying to go to your family on the Coast on that particular day…hope you are feeling much better now…Ocean breezes are always healing in my books…stay well…

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    • LOL — definitely sympathy — though with strangers it appears to garner a lot of ‘strange’ looks! 🙂 I want to keep explaining it away but have decided to just ignore it. 🙂

      And thank you — yes, ocean breezes are very, very healing. And you too — Stay well my dear friend. ❤

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