2009: Black Belt in klutziness

Last updated on: December 27, 2009 at 9:27 am by Michelle Van Loon

2009: Black Belt in klutziness 2009-12-27T09:27:00-06:00 Michelle Van Loon

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The week between Christmas and New Years is filled with all manner of “Year In Review” lists. Biggest news stories, worst movies, best books, that sort of thing.

My own 2009 list is a little more…uh…specific. When I think of this year, the list that’s easiest for me to make is that I managed to experience regular doses of high degree klutziness in almost every arena:

(1) February – Got lost alone in Jerusalem, wandering like an Altzheimer’s patient for nearly an hour while trying to find someone to give me directions en Ingles.
(2) March – Epic fail, Facebook edition. Hit “reply” with an emotional response to a friend’s message before I realized it was being sent to many, many people – not just to the friend.
(3) May – Jerusalem again, the klutziness manifested itself when I rolled my ankle in a gutter in the Old City and ended up sprawled on the stone streets. The sprain took nearly 2 months to heal.
(4) July – As I approached my dreaded 50th birthday, I decided to go proactive and invite some friends to breakfast to thank them for sticking with me in spite of my klutzy ways. Learned later I’d hurt someone from my past by not inviting her to the gathering.
(5) October – Took dog out for my caregiving client. The dog sensed a sub, and bolted as I was reaching for the leash. I ended up flat on my face in a pile of wet leaves and dog poo. Bruises galore.
(6) Throughout the year – My dad always used to say that what was on my mind was on my mouth. This year, some of what was on my mind was the hydrogen perioxide + baking soda combo of wanting to sell this house and/or connect beyond shallow coffee hour chat with a passionate spiritual community. At regular intervals, my mouth erupted this brew of concerns all over innocent bystanders. Awkward to the nth degree.

The great gift of middle age is that I know I am not alone in these klutzy moments, though, as my very patient husband notes, I do have a knack for sharing my best klutzy moments with others. They are growing pains, the messy moments of a not-yet-formed piece of clay in the hands of the Master Potter.

And so, if you, too have had a year of Black Belt Klutziness, join me in the prophet Isaiah’s surrender to God:

“Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look upon us, we pray, for we are all your people.” – Is. 64:8-9

As we look ahead to calendar year 2010, may all of us klutzes rejoice that we are safe in God’s gracious hands. Happy New Year!

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