Humans get hurt, but we adapt and heal

Today I want to share Two Important Things I Have Recently Learned About Life.

But first I want to mention that I'm officially out of my splint and that my right thumb works again.

Yes!

My thumb is alive!

Do you hear me, Igor?

IT'S ALIVE!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha HA HA HA HA!

AND NOW MY THUMB AND I WILL ONE DAY RULE THE WORLD!

OK. I realize this isn't actual "newspaper news." It's more like "family newsletter news" with the outside chance of being "Relief Society newsletter news."

So please feel free NOT to read another word. …

Instead, check in with me next week for my usual incisive analysis of pressing national issues such as health care reform, jobs creation, and whether Brangelina should adopt another baby.

It's just that I'm so very EXCITED about my thumb!

Now I can go grocery shopping without accidentally dropping cans of red kidney beans on the aisle floor.

That's only one of the problems you encounter when you have a lame thumb.

You drop cans of red kidney beans all over the place. (Also cans of pinto beans because sometimes you get the two mixed up.) (Which, while we're on the subject, what IS the difference between red kidney beans and pinto beans anyway?)

But here's the thing.

Even though I am splint-free and my right hand is totally good to go, I'm still using my left hand for everything, such as waving at people I don't know.

FOR EXAMPLE. Last week as I was driving down 1300 East, I noticed the man in the car next to me was waving, waving, waving, which I thought was remarkably friendly of him.

America! What a great country! Here in America we're just all about driving down 1300 East and waving at people we don't know!

So I smiled and waved back when SUDDENLY I realized the guy next to me wasn't actually waving. Actually, he was flipping me off.

But whatever.

The point is I waved back at him with my LEFT hand when I could have just as easily waved with my RIGHT. Only I didn't.