The other day I watched this video of
author Chris Morphew learning to skateboard. I didn’t click on the
link hoping to learn any great life lessons – or even how to skateboard. I just
clicked on it because Chris’ videos are usually pretty funny.
And this one was no exception. I laughed a
lot, but some of the things he was saying resonated with me, and I wasn’t quite
sure why at first.
The whole theme of the video is Chris
showing off his signature skateboarding more The Don’t Fall Off. At one point
in the video he says: “The Don’t Fall Off – it’s more like a lifestyle choice
than a move. Even when I do fall off, it’s kind of I achieved The Don’t Fall
Off, if I have the right attitude.” Now, this made me laugh as I’m pretty sure he was just saying this
to cover the fact that he’d fallen off the board, but at the same time the sentiment rang true
with me.
I never really had the inclination to learn
to skateboard until after I got really ill, and things as simple as walking in
a straight line became a challenge. I remember feeling at one point that I had
missed my chance to try things like skateboarding while I was healthy, and that
was upsetting even though I’d never really wanted to do them in the first
place. Sometimes I think maybe some day I could still try something like this.
But then I remember that disability aside, I’m just totally uncoordinated, and
once injured myself flying off an Ab Circle Pro (both hilarious and painful, so
totally okay if you’re laughing right now!)
Sometimes it feels like The Don’t Fall
Over, is my signature move, and the biggest feat I will ever manage. Then
sometimes it feels like I can’t even do that.
Just before Christmas, I had kind of a bad
fall. I wasn’t hurt badly, other than winding myself by hitting a chair arm on
the way down, but I landed in an awkward position and couldn’t get up again. I
had to phone my dad to come rescue me in the end (thank goodness for cell phones!) It was the first fall I’ve
had in a while, but there have been a few other near misses recently and it was
enough to make me decide my current treatment plan just wasn’t working.
It felt like a step back at first – I’d
gone from coping reasonably well, to not even being about to master The Don’t
Fall Over. But I think the idea of “it’s kind of like I achieved The Don’t Fall
off, if I have the right attitude” is very true. Yes, I did fall down but I didn’t fall apart. I knew what I needed to do in
order to try and keep my health stable, and I still managed to keep on top of
all the personal and work things I needed to do.
Even if I am falling over a bit more
frequently, I’m still smiling and so I’ve got the attitude of staying on my
feet, even if I'm technically on the floor.
I don’t know Chris personally, though I
have read his books and did meet him briefly when he came to Wellington
as part of the Storylines festival which I was volunteering at.
I’m pretty sure he didn’t intend any of
this to be the hidden meaning behind his video about skateboarding, but the
message was there for me when I needed it anyway. So thanks Universe (and probably thanks Chris too.)
- Little Miss Autoimmune.
