Not 20 anymore....

So I'm sitting at the chiropractors listening to some odd 80's music while a sweet older lady talks to customers on the phone. The room looks like most waiting rooms, stacks of magazines, fake plants and people trying their hardest to avoid eye contact.

Lovely I say. Just lovely.

In 1998 I fractured two vertebra in my lower back. This little accident was no little recovery. It put me in the bed, a brace, and pain for months. But I healed and went back to being a normal high school boy.... thinking I was invincible.

Well, after a normal lazy Saturday of activity I found out I'm no longer invincible. I now can't decide to go for a 3 mile run, hike some and play multiple rounds of disc golf. This lite day has now given me some heavy pains, some pains that come with some heavy bills.

During my whining, moaning, and hobbling along my wife kindly stated "you know, you're not 20 anymore you know"

I wanted to punch her... but I'd obviously never do that... so I just didn't talk to her for a few hours (well done Matt, way to pout!)

I realized things happen, and given enough time the bad things we think will never happen may actually happen. We think we'll never need insurance, a backup disk, a back up plan, or in this case back up sick days. We believe, or at least I believe, that people will always do the right thing, the honoring thing, the good thing. But as much as I love living in my optimistic worldview there comes a time to look at reality and say "I'm not 20 any more."

Over the past few weeks I've talked with a husband who was signing his divorce papers, parents who's child was just taken advantage of by someone they never thought would, students whose "extracurricular activities" got them expelled and denied from their dream jobs, people asking how their pants can't button because of the extra pounds, and a slew of other things.

Things happen, things change and many of us will never recognize they have until it's too late.

So as I am now waiting for the doc to snap crackle and pop my spine so the numbness in my butt will go away I'm asking what else is changing in my life.

Where do I need to pause and take an honest look at?

How is my marriage really?

How is my weight, my eating habits?

How's my soul care?

Have I really talked with my family as often as I'd like?

Is my debt and spending heathy?

Are the values I claim to hold actually being lived? How would my wife, co-workers, and friends answer that?

Things change. Sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad.

I'm not 20 anymore and I can actually throw my back out, but lets be aware and intentional so we don't throw out something that can't be popped back into place.

Ps... I'm now in traction and being stretched like a Medieval torture table, but oh does it feel good.