It started as one more day in life,

with the word “enjoy” echoing in the mind, in readiness for my Ninjutsu (Martial Arts) class.

Familiar techniques, seen and experienced in a few earlier classes,

however, that day I slipped and fell.

Heard a tupp tupp sound and a numbness in the feet,

The leg was there but the ankle had decided to turn itself differently 🙂

Oops!! was the feeling,

it is there but why isn’t it listening to my movement commands?

Well, kept trying and suddenly I was able to get up,

and walk a few feet to the chair in the room – with no wobble and also no support,

Oh, Wow!! I will be in class a couple of days later is what I remember saying.

Quickly a couple of physiotherapists came in to check the ankle,

One of them put the ankle place and when I stood, it just caved in leaving me almost faint.

Deep breathing was my weapon to calm myself all thru’,

and that helped me smile and also feel less pain.

Training (as we call it) in the class went on,

it is like the battlefield where the battle doesn’t stop because someone is injured.

What a joy it was to watch everyone train and sense the energy,

and feel like a ‘wounded soldier’ who was incredibly happy to be injured in her sacred battlefield,

and gleefully with an aircast, tried to do a kick at someone nearby:-)

Words from the others training and them enquiring was like a balm,

then I was told that it is preferable to visit the hospital nearby, for an X-Ray,

and the ankle bones sounded themselves tupp, tupp tupp as though in agreement.

Well, the next few hours and few days revealed a fracture and thereon an ankle reconstruction surgery,

stay at the hospital, some physiotherapy and oodles of pain,

visits, calls and messages from friends and well-wishers lent its own touch of healing,

deep breathing and the word “enjoy” establishing themselves in me.

Family just rallied around,

with the ‘home’ strength and conditioning coach taking the lead.

The road to recovery looks at times so doable and at times so overwhelming,

the ‘why now’ question keeps coming back when the pain is high,

with no answers but just the need to cry out loud.

Recovery will happen, at its own time and pace,

with my own motivating of myself, contributing to the recovery.

Vulnerability and strength are certainly two sides of the coin,

The Yin and the Yang 🙂

This injury has only strengthened my resolve to continue my Ninjutsu training,

whenever that happens in the next some months.

Until then it is time to train the mind, learn and practice what I haven’t yet done but wanted to

with the word “enjoy” and deep breathing being my soul companions.