How Could I Get It So Wrong?

No one likes to think of themselves as a failure but sometimes we need to admit that there are some things we’re just never going to master.

I am not the person to speak to if you need help solving difficult mathematical problems. Don’t come and see me if you need someone who’s great with DIY projects. While I love cycling, you’ll never see me on top of the winners podium.

I can live with not being able to master all these things. There are plenty of things I’m good at, like … well … just take my word for it.

What does concern me is something that I got so horribly wrong last night.

Maybe a bit of background information would help. For several months I’ve suffered from back soreness. It’s ranged from, “Ooh, that’s uncomfortable” through to, “Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!!”. Recently, if I’ve dropped something on the floor I just figure that that’ll be a great new permanent home for whatever it is because there’s no way I can even consider bending low enough to pick it up.

Being a man, I put off treatment for way too long. I don’t want to say how long but if it keeps up too much longer my back pain will be able to celebrate its own anniversary. Thankfully the treatment I’m now receiving is slowly but surely making a big difference … but there are still good and bad days.

Yesterday was a good day but today I woke up feeling quite sore. This led me to think to myself, “I must have slept wrong.” How much of a failure are you when you get sleeping wrong? It’s a simple process. You lie down, pull up the covers, shut your eyes and all things going well, you wake up some hours later feeling rested. I got it completely wrong last night.

It’s not like I haven’t had practice. I’ve been working on this sleeping thing for well over 48 years. They say practice makes perfect but not in this case. All that practice and I still sleep wrong.

I’m not one to be deterred. Tonight will be my night. I will sleep well. I will wake rested and then celebrate ….. but not too vigorously. I’ve got a bad back, you know.



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About the author

Rodney Olsen

Rodney is a husband, father, cyclist, blogger and podcaster from Perth Western Australia.

He previously worked in radio for about 25 years but these days he spends his time at Compassion Australia, working towards releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name.

The views he expresses here are his own.

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1 Comment

  • I can sympathise with a sor back, I am also a sore back person and I can wake up with the stiffest lower back ever. I think I also need to re-learn sleeping 🙂

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