SURVIVAL REFLEX

 

My husband grabbed me today in the bedroom.  No, it’s not what you think.  Let me explain.  George has Parkinson’s Disease and his balance isn’t so good.  When he needs to get out of bed, I help him stand up.  Once standing, he sometimes teeters and I try to balance him.  It’s kind of like standing an egg on its end.  As he works on getting his balance, I stand by on alert.  There have been times when I’ve been distracted and he has taken a tumble.   

Today I thought he was balanced and I let go.  He grabbed me and didn’t fall, then we both started laughing and said, “Susan!” at the same time.   

When our daughter Susan was about a year old, I tripped over a hidden brick or something while carrying her through the snow.  Susan flew out of my arms face down into the snow.  Thank the Lord, she didn’t get hurt.  But her little face burned all over with the freezing snow.  The memory of that incident was burned permanently into her little mind.  One day soon after that we were leaving church and the ground was frozen, and I was making my way carefully on the ice with Susan in my arms.  Then I slipped.  I regained my balance, but Susan wasn’t taking any chances.  She grabbed onto me like a little monkey holding on to its mother for dear life.  My child already knew that her mother’s mistakes could take her down! 

I guess my husband has always known that my mistakes can take anyone down, and he is usually in my path and takes the brunt of it when I fall on my face.  Unfortunately, now it’s his turn to fall and he doesn’t much think I can be depended on to catch him.  Bless his heart.