The Canoe
Think about this situation and what you might do differently.
John loves to go fishing in his canoe. He’s got a great canoe. Lately when he launches his canoe it rubs on a few jagged rocks coming on and off the water. At first he didn’t see the wear, now he can see the worn surface and torn fiberglass. When he pushes on the worn area he feels the weakness in the structure. John kept on the same routine day after day. Finally the side wall gave and water would leak through, slowly sinking his canoe. Even with a little leak he could stay out 2 hours. When the leak got bigger could barely do any fishing before there was too much water.
At what point does the damage become more difficult to repair?
What if John just started launching his canoe away from the jagged rocks?More importantly what if you were the canoe?
Would you think differently about how to care for your own injury?
Let’s flip the story:
John works building cabinets. He’s a great craftsman. Lately he’s had to bend awkwardly to pull some materials from behind a saw they’d recently moved. At first he didn’t notice his back, now he feels a pull along his spine. He feels tenderness when he presses on his low back. John kept on the same routine day after day. Finally during one awkward bend he felt a stronger pain that wouldn’t go away. Despite the pain he could get through about 2 hours work. When the pain worsened he needed help operating the machinery and could barely work.
Caring for your own health can be as simple and as logical as caring for anything you hold dear.