Fall from grace

 

It finally happened, I fell down. After years of watching the "I've fallen and I can't get up" commercials and, feeling that I would NEVER be that woman, I have become her.  Recently while negotiating a simple set of three steps, I lost my balance and proceeded to feel my legs crumple under me as I headed for the concrete sidewalk.

Somehow as I was falling, I felt that I was doing it in slow motion.  Overcome by emotions including panic and disbelief, I was extremely conscious that I was going to definitely fall onto the walkway.  First my knee hit, scraping the skin off. Then my shoulder hit followed by my head which actually bounced off the hard surface of the sidewalk. If falls were rated by talent judges, I think I would have received high marks for my three point landing.

The running commentary in my head went something like this:

Oh No! I am going to fall! No, I can't be doing this!The the "other" voice who lives in my head added: get your feet under you, idiot.
I can't!
Come on, don't do this!
I can't help it, I am falling. 
You are such a ditz.

Then I was laying on the ground, feeling like a very old woman, ok I am reaching that age but really I am not THAT old!

Luckily, I didn't break any bones or seriously injure anything, other than my dignity.