Falling Down.

Zhang Dan falls after attempt at Quadruple Salchow in Olympics
Last night, I watched the Olympics pairs figure-skating medal event last night and saw Chinese skater, Zhang Dan fall during a gutsy quadruple salchow attempt.Even though she got right up, it still made me wince. I could feel the unforgiving ice on my own knees seeing how hard she landed. In fact, I couldn’t believe she got up–I’ve seen pansy overpaid pro football players stay on the ground over a significantly lesser impact.Then I couldn’t believe what came next–she and her partner RESUMED their performance, and executed it so flawlessly and with such grace that they were awarded the Silver Medal. Amazing. Even with such a HUGE and upsetting mistake, they still found their way to the podium.And all I could think about the whole time was, “Wow. I can’t believe she got back up, shrugged off the physical pain, disappointment, even embarrassment and continued.” And not just that they continued eventually (“we’ll try again NEXT Olympics!”)–but that they continued IMMEDIATELY.I have to think that there are MANY opportunities for such a redemptive experience in my own life that I forfeit because I think I need to nurse my wounds and the “punitive damages” I’ve encountered psychologically in an experience, trauma, or tragedy. I lay off of the work or task at hand, lest I fail even more. And granted, many times, I regroup, and try again, and do so with a modicum of success.But mostly, after seeing an approximately 115 pound Chinese figure skater get up and get back in the saddle again, I realize that some healing happens best when encountered or administered immediately. Some grace need not be delayed. Maybe MOST grace need not be delayed.