When life talks, listen. When a theme makes itself apparent repeatedly, take note. When the universe has something to say to you, offer it the microphone and pay attention.
Over the past few months, I would say that I have been listening to the universe and attempting to derive a message from its mutterings at that very microphone. I try to embrace the concept of “seek first to understand, then to be understood” - but sometimes, that premise can be a little unruly and difficult.
I will be the first to admit that I am probably the last person to quote a singing cowboy by the name of Gene Autry. However, the eloquence of the song title is a fitting sentiment today. Here I am, long-lost readers, returning from what seems like an abyss of time, academia, and … life.
I promised myself that silence on these pages simply wasn’t going to be an option again. However, when I uttered those words, I didn’t have a road map for what was ahead of me. As I have written many times before, life brings us challenges and changes and opportunities. It also provides us with epiphanies and reflections which can be incredibly valuable if we pay heed to the lessons that can be learned. Two years on from my last post, I am back in the saddle again.
Hello again, oh patient and faithful reader. I’ll be the first to admit that these pages have been silent for quite some time now. It’s the longest break I’ve had here, and it certainly wasn’t a planned absence. There’s been a lot of writing going on, for sure, just not much that has made it’s way here. Please accept my apologies for the silence.
There’s been a pause - for many a cause. Let me tell you a little about the past year.
The physical therapy profession is at a crossroads in the United States.
Over the past couple of decades, I’ve watched our profession go into a disconcerting holding pattern. The struggles of 2016 are strangely reminiscent of those in 1996.
We are now faced with what appear to be some difficult questions at this juncture in the history of our profession, and one is very simple. Are we going to accept evolution, or is it time for revolution?
Life is all about balance. It revolves around the principle of homeostasis: the regulation of variables so that internal conditions remain stable.
Writing is but a subset of my world, but homeostasis certainly applies.
Some background is probably hugely valuable right now - otherwise you might think I have well and truly lost my mind in my extended absence from the pages of this blog.
Silence. It’s one of the most beautiful things we experience in life. It’s also one of the most painful.
It might be difficult to imagine how one word can run the gamut across what appears to be the continuum of our lives. It spans the great divide between pleasure and pain, between beauty and agony, between love and loss.
Silence can be succulent and sensational. It can also be painful and power-hungry.
It’s time for all of us to break the silence on silence itself.
All it takes is a quick look in the rear view mirror of life to get as much hindsight and perspective as you can handle. I’ve found that what I see there is oftentimes crystal clear - in retrospect.
When I gaze back at the year 2014, I find myself looking at 365 days in which I was face-to-face with love and loss, frustration and friendship, challenge and consternation. It was the Year of the Dichotomy. I swear it’s on the Chinese calendar.
With great adversity and challenge comes great awareness. That’s my story, and I am sticking with it. In no particular order, here are a few things I learned along the way.
When Punxsutawney Phil - the legendary groundhog - leaves his burrow on February 2 every year, he looks for his shadow. If he sees his shadow,it predicts another 6 weeks of winter ahead. That’s a pretty lousy thought when you live in a northern state.
If you are a patient, or a physical therapist perchance, in the state of Texas, there is a similar phenomenon that takes place every two years. It’s the physical therapy version of Groundhog Day.
Smart Physio
posts are on professional and career-related topics such as health, fitness, training, and health care.
Rhubarb Diaries
posts are commentary, perspectives, opinions, humor and insight on all of my favorite topics: music, sport, and politics/current events.
Top 5 finalist in three categories: "Best Overall Blog", "Best PT Blog" and "Best Advocacy Blog".
Allan Besselink, PT, Dip.MDT has a unique voice in the world of sport and health care, one that has been defined by his experiences as physiotherapist, mentor, McKenzie practitioner, coach, innovator, author, educator, patient, and athlete. Read more about Allan, contact him, get updates via email, or connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Up to 60% of runners will sustain an injury within any given year. Poor running mechanics, in conjunction with poor, ineffective and outdated training methods, can pose a significant injury risk. "RunSmart" was written to address these issues in the running community.
"Running Injuries: Etiology And Recovery- Based Treatment" (co-author Bridget Clark, PT) appears in the recently released third edition of "Clinical Orthopaedic Rehabilitation: An Evidence-Based Approach
" by S. Brent Brotzman, MD and Robert C. Manske, PT.
