I recently had the misfortune of getting posterior tendinitis which is another way of saying I over-used my ankle.
As I am an active person, this really frustrated me. I couldn’t walk with my kids, couldn’t workout, and couldn’t even get food by myself.
As the days went on, however, I started to see the benefits of being confined to the bed or the couch.
For starters, I was able to sit still and appreciate the quiet of my room and work environment. I asked my lovely wife to open the window and looked out at the blooming flowers and listened to the birds. This was very peaceful.
Next, I realized how much time is wasted by aimless movement. When my ankle was at it’s best I would constantly walk up and down the stairs or walk from room to room. I constantly walked to the kitchen to get a snack, come back, and remember there is something else that I forgot.
Being stationary forced me to plan my movements wisely. I hobbled to the kitchen only once and got everything I needed. No more extra steps.
This had the unexpected benefit of giving me more time to accomplish things like working and researching my next book.
A third benefit was that I avoided being drafted into the many trips of family life such as: shopping, taking kids to classes, picking up dry-cleaning, and other chores. This freed up a ton of time for reflection as well as writing.
As my ankle is healing, I will be up and moving around very soon. Although I look forward to becoming my active self, I do have a tinge of regret about the benefits of immobility that I will soon lose.
What surprising benefits of being hurt have you found?
