The shoulder I injured in a fall at Christmastime is still being treated with exercise and physical therapy.

A simple stumble in my own home has resulted in three months of pain, so far.  It’s no wonder that lately I’ve been thinking a lot about falling down, and how to fall without getting hurt.

I did a quick search on the Internet and found this simple, and very helpful, video on the subject that I wish I had viewed four months ago (click on link to view):  How to Fall Down Safely

After viewing this video, and others aimed at stunt men and pro-wrestlers, I began to wonder why we don’t include classes in our schools to teach us all to fall down without injury. While few of us will need the performance-level training of the professionals, it is inevitable that we amateurs will stumble and fall some time in our lives.

Falling down is a universally shared experience and, yet, too many of us are completely unprepared when it happens.

Not surprisingly, I see a spiritual parallel.  Everyone slips and falls in their faith walk, as well.  Why aren’t we more prepared for it?

Several of the tips I found on Google recommended practicing safe falls so that instinct can kick in when we lose our balance unexpectedly.  They aren’t suggesting that people go around looking for dangerous places to trip and fall, or course.  They are talking about rehearsing the safety aspects of a fall.

We can prepare ourselves for a spiritual stumble, too.

Safe practices for avoiding injury from spiritual tumbles include avoiding the slippery slopes of temptation whenever possible. When the inevitable happens we need to regain our footing by getting closer to our center of gravity through prayer, Bible study and the fellowship of other believers.

But we must not jump up too quickly, acting as though nothing has happened. A time of restful reflection to assess the seriousness of the damage goes a long way toward healing and renewed strength.

As children we clasped hands and danced in a circle as we sang “…we all fall down!”  It was a fun game, but those final words are true. We do all fall down.

Let’s try to walk on sure footing, but when the trips and tumbles come, let’s try to be prepared.

I have at least another three months of uncomfortable physical therapy ahead of me to restore full function to my shoulder. I can’t change that, but I will do all I can to be better prepared for losing my balance from now on.