FGO

Last night, I was doing something I wasn’t supposed to be doing and paid a heavy price for my actions. After an unusually long work day, which kicked off 30 minutes after I dropped off Atlas, I looked down at the clock and realizied the entire day had gone by with barely an hour of rest.

Thus, I decided to order a pizza. That’s what I shouldn’t have done, if it’s still unclear. When I walked in to pick it up, I noticed it was on the very bottom of the pizza warming rack. Without thinking, I bent over to grab it. That’s when I noticed a tearing pain in my lower back; in less than a second, I had thrown out my back.

For the want of a pizza….

Now, this has happened several times before and I knew the reason why it happened; not only was I not thinking about the way I was bending over, I was also wearing my gun belt a little too tight, which made for a 1-2 combo that nearly dropped me to my knees in the lobby of Domino’s.

As I hobbled to the car, I mentally kicked myself not only for getting the pizza in the first place, but for not getting a Philster Enigma holster, which likely would have prevented the accident in the first place, since I tend to over-tighten my belts when carring my glock in a holster…and the enigma wraps around your body, rather than a traditional belt.

I digress.

When it comes to throwing out your (my) back, there are usually a few culprits that are to blame; not drinking enough water, being careless in my motions and using the wrong muscles to move too hastily. Scooping up six bags of leaves earlier in the day (my work ‘break’) couldn’t have helped much, either.

As a result, I woke up the next morning with a hobble and dull, aching pain that reminded me all of my plans to do yardwork were going to be put on pause for a few days. Instead of putting on my leaf blower, I laid down on a back stretching device and prepared myself for a hang on the inversion table I keep handy in the guest bedroom.

In most cases, I’d be somewhat upset and depressed at the whole situation. However, I decided to take it as a sign that I needed to slow down and accept the painful sensation that ebbed in my lower back; like a volcano ready to explode, I battled a series of back spasms that wanted to fire. They didn’t.

As I write this, I’m sitting in a shiatsu back massager – a $40 marketplace find that proved to be a lifesaver on a day like today.

Forced rest isn’t something that comes easy to me, or a lot of people. Having to take time off work can lend itself to anxiety, fear and discouragment. However, I now see these situations as a vehicle of gratitude.

Why?

I recognize that I have a career path that doesn’t require me to be on my feet – or even fully-clothed, for that matter. I’m also exceptionally thankful that I have a beautiful home to recharge in when I get ‘stuck at home’, rather than a small apartment or shared room. I can think of a handful of people I know who pay more for a studio apartment in San Francisco, than I pay for a large home in the suburbs. Location, location, location…

Years ago during a counseling session, my counselor/therapist told me a phrase I’ll never forget.

“Aaron, that’s just a FGO, baby.”

“FGO?”

“F*ckin’ growth opportunity”

The Bible tells us that we are to give thanks in all circumstances. It’s really easy to give thanks when times are good. However, it’s best to give thanks when times are difficult, because it helps you see the miraculous way that God has each of us in His hand – even when we feel broken.