Thursday, June 17, 2021

"All Along You Were Blooming" poems and my pitiful left knee

 I just happened to find and buy a poetry book by Morgan Harper Nichols. The book looked like it would be a treat and a spirit lifter, and it is. I read that she has 2,000,000 social media followers and she is admired for her poetry and her art. The book I bought is her "All Along You Were Blooming: Thoughts for Boundless Living" and I am very pleased with it.


Above is the young lady who is the gifted poet. Here is her book cover:


Here is one of her poems that is very meaningful to me.


In case it is hard for you to read: There will be days when you do not feel fearless, and you choose to get up and go out to sea anyway.
And my friend, let me tell you, that is what it means to be brave.
It is that gentle shove toward the water that says "I will go, and I will go afraid."
It is not a feeling. It is not a thought. It is that inward wind that pulls you out of sleep and says "I will go forth with all I have now: a breath, a dozen steps, and a pocket full of fears,
but no matter what tries to pull me back, I will find the strength to be here." 
This is a nice size smaller hardback, maybe six inches tall, full of Nichols' art and poems. It would make a nice gift book for anyone or for you; you deserve a treat too.
 
Poor poor pitiful me! On June 8 I took Bounce on a leisurely walk and came home and was standing in front of the closet when my left knee went out. Terrible pain. I think this is connected with growing so old. I was not moving. My knee just went! I could only hobble, three inches at a time, saying ouch with each step. What a night. All the next week my knee has been healing, aided by rest and my answered prayers.  That night and all the next day Bounce stayed close by, looking worried as I moaned and limped. He is a true companion. Be well my friends. 
Update on June 25: I got 4 x-rays of my knee and it shows arthritis. They say this is pretty common in people 65+. I am going to sign up for physical therapy.  One thing I will say about my insurance (Medicare plus Supplemental Insurance) is that all this is paid for, here in the USA.


27 comments:

baili said...

oh i am sorry dear Terra for the bounce and pain you experienced !

my heartfelt prayers for your speedy recovery my friend !

i loved the poem and specially the promise of author to herself ,yes this is most important thing that we all can do to ourselves a determination for undefeated walk towards betterment:) lovely choice !

Jane the Booklady said...

First of all- I do hope your knee is healing speedily. How scary and painful I too like the poem you shared. I've always thought true bravery is found in those everyday little steps requiring courage. Thank you for sharing, I shall buy this book.

Ann said...

I like the cover on that book. Sounds like a good read.
Sorry to hear about the knee. Glad to hear that Bounce is taking good care of you :)

Britta said...

I wish you a good heeling of your knee, Terra - those pains (I only had them once after jogging) are really awful.

As to the poems: words have magic. And it is very good to find some that are uplifting (as movies and books and songs too - I care very much with what I "nourish" my heart and soul.

Get well soon!

mamasmercantile said...

Such a beautiful poem. Sorry to hear about your knee, hope you feel better soon. Take care.

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

I follow MHN on Instagram. Her words and artwork are lovely and inspiring. Sorry to hear about your knee. As someone who had knee surgery in 8th grade and has had my knee give out on my many, many times over the years, I feel your pain. It's excruciating. Hope you are feeling much better with each passing day.

Jennifer said...

I'm so sorry about your knee!! Please take good care of it and get well soon. Hugs!

Betsy said...

That is a beautiful poem. Thank you for sharing it and the book.
I'm so sorry to hear about your knee. We sure don't recover as quickly these days do we? Bounce is a little trooper, staying so close to you.
BLessings,
Betsy

Miss Merry said...

What a lovely book!

I'm sorry about your knee. Our bodies are amazing works of art, but it is painful when they start to wear out. Hope you are on the mend.

Inger said...

I'm so sorry about your knee, I hope you are better now. And isn't it lovely to have a faithful friend by your side when things get a bit difficult? As for the poem, thank you for posting it. I loved it and it's exactly what I needed to read right now.

The Feminine Energy said...

Terra, thank you so much for sharing this author with us. I ordered her book immediately, as the poem you shared is wonderful!!!!!! Thank you again!!

I am so so sorry about your knee. I have had life-long knee problems as my Daddy before me. I had an incident just like yours when I was 42yo and came home from taking my newly adopted 3 month old baby to the doctor. I put her infant seat down, turned to shut the garage door, and BAM.... instant and horrible pain. As it turned out, I tore the meniscus on my left knee and had surgery to clean it out... which is probably what you did and what you need too. Don't hesitate to get the arthritis and things cleaned out of your knee by your orthopedic surgeon. I consider it a part of our "tune-up" we need as we age. :-D I'll be praying for you.

~Andrea xoxoxo

Marie Smith said...

I hope you recover soon. Believe me, getting old sucks.

Sam said...

Sorry to hear about your knee pain. I hope by now it's healed up nicely for you.

I've found one of the most interesting aspects of aging is just how many nagging aches and pains we learn to live with until they eventually become part of our "new normal." I do hate that term, but I think it works well in this case. Not that we have much choice, do we?

Granny Marigold said...

As a person who is not very brave I really enjoyed that poem.
I'm so sorry about your painful knee and I hope that by resting it it will heal.

Margaret D said...

Oh gosh, not the best for a knee to give out - but hobble you will till it improves. Take care.
Lovely to see a poetry book of someone who is living, so many people write beautiful poems.

Tasker Dunham said...

I've hurt myself in similar ways. Thankfully they usually sort themselves out after a week or two being careful. Hope yours does too.

Aritha V. said...

Knee pain can be so painful.
But I loev the post, the book ad the cover.

Diana said...

Jerry's first total hip replacement came after the hip just suddenly went out on him while he was at work... he worked for a commercial painting company and was halfway up a ladder when it happened... took three guys to bring him in the house be ause he couldn't move that hip after that. We have you in our prayers for comfort and quick healing!! 🙏🏻 💕

oldgreymareprimitives said...

I tore out miniscus in both of mine, one in 06 and other in 07- (really both at same time but one was much worse)had the surgery on both and for many years they were both pretty good. Starting to nag me now and then but I'm careful and ice as soon as I feel anything and take Aleve. If that is what you did, you need to see someone as it can get much worse and cause you to fall in an unsafe place or way. I did that too :(

Take care

Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made said...

Oh your poor knee and poor you!! I can commiserate as something similar happened to my right knee years ago. In my case eventually I got a 'new' one haha but I'm glad the rest is helping!! Terrible to be laid up in the summer, well at least HERE where our summers are so short! Thanks for sharing the book of poems... looks lovely!

Barb said...

Hi Terra~

So sorry to hear about your knee. You will be in my prayers.

The poem was beautiful, I loved..."I will go, and I will go afraid". I have done that many times in many situations, and I survived! Gods' tender mercies and amazing! Thanks for sharing today, I need to read the poem!

Hugs,
Barb

Jenny the Pirate said...

Terra that is awful about your knee. I have had knee pain exactly one time -- in 2009 -- and I would not want to ever feel that again. I pray it will heal with rest. I LOVE the poem you shared. What a talented young lady. xoxo

Rajani Rehana said...

Beautiful blog

DUTA said...

The first thing to do in such a case, is to apply ice; ice relieves the pain and prevents swelling. Next - watch your weight. I add pounds during winter, and immediately make the effort to shed them in spring/summer, if I don't do that, I might feel the "murmur" of the knees.

dori said...

What a post!

+ I hpoe the bad knee is better now! Sometimes this kind of illness is better and in other times bader - I hope so for you to become better and better now! Your lovely true empathic dog!

I enjoy your new blog-design and your presentation of your lifestyle.

Thank you for the oart/text of this interesting book!

Carola Bartz said...

Ouch, that sounds painful! I hope the physical therapy helps.
What a lovely poem - thank you for sharing it.

rhymeswithplague said...

So sorry about your knee. Ellie’s (Mrs.RWP’s) knees went out in 2007 and never came back. That is, she had both knees replaced with new titanium ones (one in January and one in March) and she is doing fine to this day. She was in excruciating pain and it turned out that she had no meniscus left in either knee. She had been walking “bone on bone.” My knees creak and pop all the time but so far —knock on wood—I’m not in pain. Will be sending good thoughts your way for a full recovery.