The Icy Patches in Life

A person just never knows when something as simple as slipping on a patch of ice can alter the path that you expected to take.

It was 7 1/2 weeks ago that Son #2 slipped on some ice and broke a bone in his hand. The doctor-ordered 6 weeks off of work sounded like a holiday to him. Financially, he thought he was in a place where he could manage.

The 6 weeks past, the cast was taken off of his hand and ... he was told that it would be another 6 weeks before he could go back to work. This put a totally different spin on this vacation time.

Had he known at the onset, that this could end up being a 3 month lay off, he would have utilized his time and resources completely differently. There is a course that he would have taken, possibly some spending that he wouldn't have 'spent' and his mind set would have been on a long term plan instead of one that was a vacation.

I couldn't help but compare his situation to my 6 week recovery period after my surgery last fall. Luckily, I was able to take back on a portion of my work load without going against what my doctor ordered. I was very fortunate that I had already set the wheels in motion for the potential of a second income just prior to my surgery. Starting that job when I did was a financial life-saver.

I took my 6 weeks and made it work for me. It was more of a work slow-down, than time completely off of work. The quiet in those weeks allowed me to see where I wanted my life to go from here. It was a working vacation and it was perfect.

Seeing my son's frustration over a situation that feels completely out of his control isn't easy to watch. He has always been a 'bounce-back' kind of guy and takes on whatever life throws at him. I have worried endlessly over his financial state in the past, but he always manages to pull himself through. I have words of advise that are easier to hear when he's not in the midst of a crisis ... so I don't advise much at times like this.

A person can't foresee the 'icy patches' in life ... but when you do slip and fall, there is an opportunity to create some changes during the time where you healing. Finding ways to survive these little falls is a stepping stone to learning how to cope with the crashes.