It has been several weeks since I have been able to post anything. I had knee surgery about four weeks ago to stop a problem with the dislocation of the kneecap. During this time, I have thought a lot about things; I have had a lot more time to contemplate, to think, and to ponder (this may be because crutches increases the amount of travel time between places). I have noticed a couple curious things about humans that has been very interesting.
First, in general, most people are willing to serve and to help when they see an apparent need. On crutches, it is a bit more difficult to do simple things, such as open a door and walk through it, or to carry a plate of food over to a table. I have noticed that most people I have met, on this college campus, are willing to open doors for me. Some have even waited 10-15 seconds for me to crutch to the door: to a kid on crutches who’s just gone up 50+ stairs, that means everything. Many have offered to do simple things like carry a bag, books, or a plate of food. There has been a few exceptions, once occurred as I was passing out of a building with two sets of doors. I pushed open one door and kind of stumbled, and as I was about to approach the second door, a man slipped through an adjacent door and opened it up just enough for him to pass through, and purposefully leaving the door to close too quickly for a kid on crutches to go through. Apparently, someone is in too much of a rush to open a door for a kid on crutches. This, however, has been the exception, and I have been pleased with the kindness and willingness of our race to help someone in need.
But the biggest thing, my own pride and difficulty in accepting help. I feel like I am a person who is willingly to serve and help others and sometimes will go so far as to do something to serve even if the person says no. But, it has been difficult for me to accept help and service from others when I am the one who is in need. I live about a mile away from campus and, prior to surgery, I walked to and from campus. This is also because I do not have a car. Now, after surgery, a walk to campus or back from campus, at any time, has been complicated with sore arms, painful armpits, and a throbbing knee. I have been blessed to have roommates and friends who have given me rides, and a group of girls who made it very clear that I was never to walk home, but that I was to call them. It has been so hard for me to accept help, or to call and ask when they have already offered. Also, it is compounded with the fact that this is my fourth week on crutches and after that amount of time I have begun to feel even worse about asking them.
I feel like I have learned humility and the not to rely wholly on myself. Also, I have realized that in order to serve, there must be one who IS served: I have just happened to be that one. There is a joy that is felt as we serve others, and if I reject their help and do not allow them to serve, then I hold them back from feeling that joy. Moreover, I can feel that joy of being served as someone holds open a door, rather than refusing help and fueling my pride and struggling to open a door by myself. There is a feeling and bond that is shared by the one who serves and the one who is served and I must be willing to allow that relationship and bond to be had.