Falling Down

Have you ever fallen down?

I know; it’s a silly question. Walking on two limbs can sometimes be unstable and we’re all apt to fall at some point. But, can you imagine falling and not trying to stop yourself from doing so?
I’m sure you’ve all had the experience where you’ve taken a fall and you end up hurting your hands in the process. I can bet that one of you reading this has even broken or sprained a limb in this way. Our natural reaction to falling is to protect ourselves. It’s better to injure a hand or elbow than a head. Did you know, however, that we’re not born with this reaction? It has to develop.

So where am I going with all of this? Am I trying to explain how Elijah has taken a big fall and hurt himself? No, I’m trying to illustrate how excited we are that Elijah has finally developed this falling reaction, called Protective Extension. In the past, he would fall over and would do absolutely nothing about it. Now, he is more consistently using his hands to catch himself when he goes forward. It’s one of those things that we all take for granted. Had I ever heard of protective extension before I had become Elijah’s mom? Nope, but it’s another thing for which I am feeling really thankful. Obviously, we wouldn’t want him walking around without it.

So, the next time you fall (oh, let’s hope it’s not anytime soon!), think about how blessed you are to have protective extension. And as you rub your sore wrists; be thankful that it’s not your head you’re rubbing.

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