I first saw him a few weeks ago. Just like me, he had one crutch underneath his left arm and was cautiously making his way around the gym floor. A week later, during the same time that I transitioned to a cane, I spotted him with his cane resting on one of the machines. Then a few days ago, we were both doing bodyweight TRX squats, mirroring each other exactly. I laughed and called across the gym: "We're on the same recovery trajectory! Total hip replacement?"
Knee surgery, it turned out. His fifth operation in a few years. "I was in the hospital for a week — IV drips, the whole shebang. It was so bad, I thought I was gonna lose my leg." He shook his head. "Right now, I'm just grateful I have my leg."
That stopped me cold. Yes, my own recovery has been hard and drawn out — but how lucky are we to have a bodies that are healthy and fully intact? We talked for a while, and now when we see each other, we fist bump- united in our shared experience and gratitude for the opportunity to move and strengthen the bodies we’ve been gifted.
Life will always its ‘thistles’- challenges, illnesses, setbacks. But how beautiful it can be to use them as a centerpiece for connection and shared experience, and to help each other feel a little less alone in the world.