I'm not certain how to phrase this.

Have you ever been so scared with the *anticipation* of pain that you actually *felt* pain that didn't exist?

Yesterday morning, I was coming down the stairs in our apartment, carrying the baby. I don't know if I slipped on something that had been left on the stairs or just tripped over my own feet, but I fell. It could have been a lot worse, because I was only three steps or so from the bottom. I really couldn't do very much to break my fall, since I only had one arm free and I didn't want to drop my son. I don't remember exactly how it happened, but I felt my right leg and foot twisting beneath me as I lost my balance. I ended up landing on my right knee, sitting on my right foot twisted underneath me. I have no idea what my other leg was doing. I did end up dropping the baby even though I tried to hold on, but thankfully God was watching out for us and he was only a couple inches from the floor at the time, so he only bumped his head slightly and doesn't even have a mark to show for it. As for me, I have a raw patch of skin on my knee where I scraped it, and my right foot and ankle are still somewhat stiff and sore. I don't think I even sprained it; just strained it a little.

So why did I yell like I being skewered through the abdomen with a mining implement? I think it was the fear and anticipation of pain. I just *knew* as I was falling that I was going to break every bone in my foot. My mind flashed back to when my mother fell at a public pool and landed on her foot, shattering her ankle. I remembered how painful that was for her, and knew I didn't want to experience the same thing firsthand. I was also really afraid that the baby was going to be hurt.

Even after it was over, I sat on the floor in shock for a few moments, dreading the pain that I knew had to be imminent. I couldn't quite believe it at first when I stood up and put weight on the injured foot and didn't immediately collapse in agony.

I think the same thing happened with my son. He cried for a few minutes afterwards, even though there wasn't a scratch on him. He was scared too.

Often in my prayers I ask the Lord to take care of my family and keep us safe from harm. It's good to know He's watching out for us.

Grishny