What a Cane Taught Me: Stepping Back Into the World

 


I learned something surprising today while walking through a thrift store with a cane.

My physical therapist suggested that I use a cane in crowded places while I’m recovering from knee replacement surgery. Not because I can’t walk, but to protect the joint from being bumped.

Today I drove myself to a local thrift store. That alone felt like a milestone after several weeks of recovery.

Once inside, I’ll admit I felt a little anxious. Many of the women around me were so focused on the racks and finding a bargain that they seemed completely absorbed in their search. For a moment I worried that someone might bump into me.

The cane barely seemed to register.

The men, on the other hand, often noticed it right away and stepped aside or made space.

It was a small moment, but an eye opening one.

Sometimes we are so focused on what we are doing that we become oblivious to the people around us.

When I wrote Caitlin’s Star, I wrote about noticing the small signs of kindness and connection that surround us even when life feels heavy.

Recovery has reminded me of that.

Sometimes it is the simple gestures. A step aside. A moment of patience. A bit of space. They remind us that we are not moving through the world alone.



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