Tuesday, September 22nd was a regular busy day as we continued to try to cross things off our to-do list and to also support Gary's mom. As a result, I only walked about 30 minutes in the morning. In the evening, I decided to take a break and take a walk around the neighborhood to get some extra steps in and meet my self-imposed goal of walking an hour 4-5 days a week.
Dusk was just during into night so I decided to just walk around my neighborhood. As I was getting my shoes on, Gary came in with his shoes and offered to walk with me. Often evening walks do include Gary and usually Jena. However I was thinking that I was going to "finish" my morning walk which is a much faster pace of walking. I also knew Gary had things to do and I didn't want to interrupt his evening just so I could meet my goal. So I told him I would be fine and would just walk in our neighborhood, so he stayed home. Even as I walked out the door, the thought came to me that I should take Gary with me, but I "shook" it off, thinking Gary would think it was odd that I changed my mind (I didn't want him to think I was afraid of the dark, after all!). So off I went. The feeling that something wasn't right persisted as I walked--so much so that I decided not to walk around our block which would have taken me along 2700 South, a much busier road, but walked a loop around the inner cul de sacs along our own street. I made a couple of loops around the area but still with a slightly uneasy feeling.
When I saw that I had reached my target of 30 minutes, I decided to head directly back home rather than to finish my current loop. As I crossed the street and stepped on our neighbor's driveway, I missed judged the curb and tripped, landing first on my knees, then my hands, and then with my face (which fortunately landed on one of my hands instead of directly on the cement.) My third fall since mid-July and certainly the one that left the most damage on my body. Poor Gary as I limped into the house with a swollen lip and bleeding legs. Rest and ice became my new best friends over the next 24 hours.
I know that this is a weird experience to share but there was some interesting things I learned during this experience:
*the human body is amazing! The way that it can heal is incredible. It has been a very long time since I had hurt myself like that and I was struck by the marvel of it all.
*I was so lucky. I could have been hurt worse. I was walking too fast, crossing where I shouldn't have crossed, and especially in the dark of our quiet neighborhood.
*I had been warned and I didn't listen. I discounted it as general worry due to current life events, even though I felt the difference. I disregarded the warning because basically of pride--I didn't see a danger, I didn't want Gary to think I was afraid of the dark, and I wanted to walk fast!
*Because of that small experience, I renewed my personal goal to listen and obey with exactness when I feel the promptings of the Holy Ghost. THAT became critical for the events of the next few weeks.
It reminded me of an experience that I had years ago when we lived in Plano. One Saturday night I was making the almost weekly run to the grocery store to buy milk and whatever last minute things we needed for Sunday. I backed out of my driveway and started heading south on Mission Ridge. The thought popped in my head that I should go left to a store a bit further away rather than turn tight and go to the grocery store just down the block where I was planning to go. And it started this argument in my head--"Why should I do that? It is further away." "You felt a prompting." "Maybe it wasn't a prompting. Maybe I just thought it in my head." "I wonder what would happen if I turned right instead of left." "Maybe I should do it to see what would happen." "That is dumb. Turn left." and so the thoughts in my head went as I made it down to the light where I needed to make a choice--turn left and follow the prompting or ignore it and turn right as I had intended. I decided that I wanted to follow promptings and so I turned left and drove the further distance to the other store. I fully expected to run into a friend who needed to talk or that some other thing would happen that would show me WHY I had to come this direction rather than the other. NOTHING happened nor was there a car accident or a robbery near the other grocery store. I have no idea why that night I was prompted to turn left rather than right. Years later, I still don't know, but I believe it was a practice time for me--to listen and to obey, because many times in my life it has made a huge difference in my life and/or in the lives of others. Sometimes I think God gives me these practice runs so that I can renew my determination to follow promptings quickly and with exactness.
I think this was a practice or "tune up" of my commitment to listen and to response with exactness to the impressions I receive from the Holy Ghost. I am so grateful for that reminder on September 22, 2020.
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