The price of distraction: how chasing unavailable love led to a costly fall
The sun had reached its zenith, scorching the boardwalk as I ran along the coast in Antibes, France. Claptone’s "The Drums" throbbed in my earbuds. Despite skipping my morning coffee and chastising myself for delaying my run until 9 am, compounded by my daughter’s late return from a wedding party, I pressed on. Amidst it all, a weighty secret from the wedding nagged at my thoughts.
Nevertheless, I pressed forward, craving endorphins and a fresh perspective.
My thoughts wandered to a man who was consistently hot and cold, ignoring my messages and leaving me feeling abandoned. Our connection spanned three decades, yet his emotional distance had become a recurring ache.
When people ask me how I came to fall, I jest about being distracted by a group of attractive guys on the boardwalk. Truthfully, my eyes were glued to my phone, yearning for his response.
Suddenly, my Swiss ON running shoes snagged on a protruding board. I was airborne, my body hurtling towards the ground with "The Drums" still pulsating in my ears. I landed on my recently rehabilitated left shoulder, pain shooting through me. The good-looking guys vanished, replaced by a couple who rushed to my aid. As I stood, excruciating pain shot through my shoulder. Blood trickled from my knee and elbow.
Unable to navigate the crowd back to my hotel, the couple called an ambulance. The paramedics who arrived were strikingly handsome and kind.
After several hours in the hospital, where I received x-rays, a sling for my fractured humerus, and pain medication, I was presented with a bill of less than $200. French healthcare, wow! An Uber brought me back to my hotel room, where my daughter, just beginning to stir from her slumber, greeted me, blissfully unaware of the ordeal I had endured. She was horrified by my appearance and even more horrified that I wouldn't be able to drive the convertible I had rented.
Reflecting, I realize that my fall was more than a physical injury; it was a metaphor for the emotional pain I had endured chasing after an emotionally unavailable man. The incident served as a wake-up call, urging me to reassess my priorities and protect myself from the allure of unavailable love.
Oh, and now I never skip coffee before a run.