Not all my accidents were entirely my fault. I had help with some of them.

I came of age in the 80s; also known as the Big Hair decade. If you were a teenage girl at that time, you had at least 3 things in your hair arsenal: hot rollers, curling iron, and hair spray that could also be used as liquid cement. And if you had straight hair like me, you also kept a curly perm. It’s a wonder I have any hair left on my head.

It was the last Friday before Christmas break and I was so excited. It was my sophomore year and I had dressed up for all the parties that day. I wore my blue plaid skirt, my sweater with my initials in the middle, and my blue velveteen jacket. I was happening. And best of all, I was having one of the best hair days ever. If we had cell phones in those days, I would have taken a selfie and posted it all over social media.

In the picture, I am wearing the same outfit and I am with my mother and my grandparents.

When my mom and I started out the door, it was sprinkling just enough to need an umbrella. Mom had hers open and over both of our heads since my arms were full of books. I struggled as I took the first step down off the porch. High heels, unlike tennis shoes, have never been my friend.

To help steady me, Mom reached over with her free arm and wrapped it around me. She squeezed me way too hard and, as she still says, I popped right out of her grip. Actually, that propelled me up and out from the porch. I was literally airborne. I don’t think she could’ve given me a hard shove and I would have had the altitude I reached at that moment. NORAD probably tracked me for a few seconds.

I slung my books in all directions. As I flew through the air, I kicked my legs and flapped my arms. I’m sure the people driving by probably thought I was attempting flight. Believe it or not, I was trying to maintain my balance or better yet, stay upright. It must have worked for I landed on my feet in a squatting position with my arms straight out. But I was facing the front porch-the opposite direction from where I was launched. I must have twisted around while I was up in the air. Guess all that flapping must’ve worked somehow.
Within seconds my mom was standing over me with her umbrella. “I made sure your hair didn’t get wet.”

I looked up at her. “What?”

“You’ve worked so hard on your hair this morning and it looks great. I tried to keep my umbrella over you the whole time.” Unlike me, my mom was tall enough to do it.

Things happen. Count on it. Even when they are somebody else’s fault, you still have to deal with them the best way you can. And if you need to flap arms and kick to do it, then you do it. Don’t worry about what somebody else may think. You get up and go on.

I stood up and mom helped me gather up wet books and papers from all across the front yard. We hurried to the car so I wouldn’t be late to school. As mom drove, neither one of us said anything for a few miles. I think we were still processing my unplanned flight.

We were almost to school when I said, “Mom, do you realize that I could have broken a bone?”

She immediately replied with her Cheshire Cate smile, “Yeah, but you didn’t get your hair wet.”

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)