My Own Worst Enemy

I am such a klutz. Really. Every injury I've ever had has been something dumb I did to myself.
Just like everyone else, I've stubbed my toes and crunched my knuckles on something. I've had to have sewing machine needles removed from my finger (after having to lift the presser foot and releasing my digit from the machine). I've needed stitches for holding a knife wrong and trying to cut through frozen food and slipped. I've given myself a black eye running into the arm of a chair.
My neighbors never really know what to expect when I leave my house for work since I've fallen out of my own front door. Twice. Everything stops when I'm nearby as everyone waits to see what I'm going to do next.
I've even been whiplashed by a mannequin in a department store; the explaining I had to do and teasing I had to endure while undergoing treatment was disconcerting. And that was just by the doctor!
The latest episode to my list of embarassing injuries occurred last week while waiting to go on a bike ride with my hubby.
He'd gone to pick something up at our house and so I asked to be dropped off at the end of our street so I could play with/pet the neighbor's great dane.
I don't know this dog very well but he seems to be very sweet. I've petted him several times and he 'plays well with others.'
Man, when this dog gets up on his back feet to get closer he towers over me. Looking at him that day, I estimated him to weigh probably 180 lbs. I wanted to break away from the petting gently so he wouldn't get upset so I pushed against his shoulders to get him back over his side of the fence.
Suddenly I felt this sharp pain on my upper lip and I doubled over to put my hand over my mouth. My eyes clenched shut as the tears rushed down my face. Once I opened my eyes I looked at my hand, fully expecting to see my front teeth in my palm. Luckily, no. Blood, but no teeth. Apparently the dog had bumped into me with his giant paw and hit me just under the nose.
By this time Don has returned for me; he must be really used to my clumsy antics because he calmly looked at me and said, "Here, put some ice on it."
The bleeding stopped soon afterwards and we went on with our bike ride. Even as I write this my mouth is still tender but now I'm in the 'I can't believe I did that' mode.
But it is a reminder to me how most of the pain we experience we somehow do to ourselves.
Misunderstandings, a rush to judgement, not thinking clearly, impatience. These all create a pain that could be avoided if we stopped, took a breath, opened our hearts to the Lord, and stepped a bit more gently into the situation.
I never really get the sympathy I think I deserve when I'm experiencing pain like that. I think my friends are quick to understand that if I hadn't (for example) gone to pet the dog I wouldn't be bruised and sore right now.
It's a great lesson to us all to think first, live prayerfully, and never pet an animal that is taller than you are.