About a month ago, I experienced some sharp pain in my left leg around the shin area. It felt like a leg cramp, but this time, the pain did not go away after I stretched and rested for a while. Whenever I stood or walked, great pain came on and persisted until I sat down. I could not recall any incident or occasion that might have caused it. After a week or so hobbling around on one leg, I searched online about leg pain and researched possible causes for such pain. I also consulted my doctor. He was not able to pinpoint the cause of my pain without performing invasive procedures. He suggested it might be caused by tendonitis. He recommended rest, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding sitting or standing too long. This seemed like reasonable advice, except Sharon and I planned to revisit our favorite locations, such as the Huntington Library, the Getty Center, and the Griffith Observatory in Southern California for a week. Since we could not reschedule the travel arrangements, we still made the trip, but we scaled back the number of locations we planned to visit and were able to get around with regular rest and finding places where I can sit down and rest periodically. Praise God, after about three weeks, the pain subsided, and I resumed regular mobility without any limitations.

At the onset of this leg pain, I was worried. Was this leg pain due to the natural aging process, or were there other underlying health reasons? Would I be confined temporarily and need to use an enabling device to help me to get around? What kind of adjustments would I have to make to my activities of daily living? Such thoughts frightened me. On the other hand, did I overreact? I thank God I regained my health and was able to resume my daily routines after a brief period. This incident taught me that being healthy is a blessing and I need to pay attention to maintain it. I need to learn to be sensitive and compassionate to those who are facing health challenges. I should be supportive to those needing help to get around and lend a helping hand whenever possible. Our gracious Lord set an example for us: “when he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36 NIV).