Tumbling into the new year

Happy new year! May 2008 be a successful one full of new experiences and fun.

For me, the new year started with a bang - literally. On new year's eve, I was at a masquerade party at my friend's place. At about 3 am or so, I stumbled up to her room on the second floor of the house. The party was still going, but I was ready for a little lie-down. About an hour later, I got up to go to the washroom. It was dark, I didn't have my contacts in, and I was probably still a little drunk...and I completely forgot that I where I was. I missed the first step, and with sickening feeling in my stomach, I fell down the entire flight of hardwood stairs and crashed into the door!

Needless to say, the party stopped immediately and everyone rushed over to see what was going on. Apparently I looked completely dazed - eyes half shut and crumpled in a very awkward position. This part was really quite hazy, but I just remember feeling quite embarrassed and after a couple of minutes, I insisted on getting up. I felt a little shook up, but was able to go back to sleep.

How lucky am I! I could have been paralyzed or broken something...but I walked away from this fall with only some bad bruising, a scar on my forehead and a few bumps on the head. Later, I went to see the doctor - I had some headaches - and I most likely have a mild concussion. So I have the small inconvenience of not being allowed to exercise or drink for a week or so, but that's a very small price to pay!

This is not the first time I've had a major accident or a close call - maybe somebody up there is trying to tell me something?? Funnily enough, one of my new year's resolutions was to take myself - and life - less seriously. There is no point in obsessing and worrying about things you cannot control, change, or have. Who knows when my luck will run out or when my clumsiness will finally get the better of me? I feel like I've been given a second (or maybe fourth!) chance. Better to not be afraid and just go for it!

The up side is that my client told me that in Chile, if you begin the new year in a bad way, the next 364 days will be the complete opposite and be really good. (Maybe the rationale is that things can't get any worse?) So 2008 should be a good one!

And FYI, anytime someone falls from a height that is higher than themselves onto a hard surface and seems a little dazed or loses consciousness, they should see a doctor - they probably have a concussion. And they should NOT be allowed to fall back asleep for hours at a time - especially if they black out - because they may fall into a coma and not wake up!