Carpet Burn and Lessons Learned (thanks Carrie Underwood)

I always consider myself a pretty adventerous spirit. I would give anything to live on the lake and ski all day, I never got scared on the pamper pole at camp and always thrived at climbing trees as a kid. I was the girl that destroyed in roller hockey after school in Michigan. I take dares seriously and often find myself in awkward situations that I could have completely avoided. As far as injuries go, I got away with a lot without making any trips to the ER.

BUT there was one injury that will go down in the books. Not because there was blood or stiches to be had, but because it hurt like CRAZY. On the first day of swim team when we were kids in Chicago (sidenote: we had a kickin house where there was a bar-one tap for beer and the other for root beer for us), Joe and I decided to start dragging each other around laying down by our arms. Totally fun (yeah I don't really know why) until I realize that I'm wearing a two piece swimsuit and have a killer rug burn all over my stomach. Red, scratched and burning like mad. I show up to practice with the reddest belly ever and look all afool. It hurt like mad, and was hidden for the majority of the time by my clothes.

I've had a few sweet conversations with dear friends lately, and I think that we often carry our pain like my rug burn...it's on our minds and hurts like mad, but yet is hidden from the world. It's easy to throw a shirt on, cover it up and act like everything's okay, but there's no cast, no visible healing to be had. I'm not saying we're called to air and bring attention to it, but I do think we need to acknowledge it.

The only other time I got a carpet burn was in the Huma at Pine Cove. I ate it while playing War Ball. I think the takeaway is that if we don't live, don't take chances, don't engage with others, we may miss out on those rugburns, but we wouldn't truly be living the life we're called to...No PAIN NO GAIN.