Putting yourself in someone else's thumb

I cut my thumb yesterday while cutting up some chicken for dinner. Not too bad a cut, but it needed bandaged and left me unable to use my left thumb for very much for the rest of the day (and today).

The amount of things I've had difficulty doing since has been remarkable. It includes:

• Unable to open packets wrapped in cellophane
• Difficulty opening jars and bottles
• Difficulty changing gear in the car
• A challenge to hold a book and turn the pages
• Great difficulty doing the buttons up on my shirt (especially cuffs)
• A challenge to tie shoe laces

 And all because of a fairly minor cut on the thumb.

I wouldn't be so crass as to claim I understand how many disabled people really cope day-in-day-out (and I say that as the husband of a wife who is a wheelchair user). But to experience even a tiny bit of difficulty makes my heart go out to everyone who struggles with physical limitations whether the disabled or the elderly. And I can't help thinking of the many service personnel who have lost limbs in Afghanistan and Iraq. They are all incredible people and I think it behooves all of us to think about each others needs and look after each other much more than we do.