It’s halfway through the year, but more than a year since I butchered my left pointer finger. I caught it in a  spinning knife—an immersion blender is what they are called.

I was so horrified, I wrapped it in a bandadge as quickly as I could. It bled a LOT. Since I could move it, I chose to let that be enough.

it hurt a lot too.  Four deep scars are now part of my fingerprint. It was numb, and then it would hurt sometimes. I massaged it to try to get it to come back to life and spend hours worrying that I had done serious damage.

Being the stubborn woman I am, I learned to do what I needed or wanted to do by using other fingers. That finger was clumsy, so I started making new habits to accommodate how things seemed to work.

I got used to doing things in a different way. I found new ways of fastening necklaces.

I found other ways to play the piano. 

I wanted to sing and play. I had my goal to record 100 new songs.  And I found a way to make it happen. I am now at 112.

I cut the finger in June of 2025. And I found a way around it.

That was a year ago, and I’m pleased with what I did. I didn’t let a setback stop me.

And my finger has gotten a lot better, It’s not as clumsy or  painful.

I am seeing that my workarounds are now looking like bad habits. It that finger clumsy from the injury?

or am I clumsy because I stopped using it and now my finger is weak and stiff?

I had a good reason for changing how I used my hand. It seems like that reason remains in my habits but not in its essence.

I created a no-go zone that has lasted longer than the fence did.

What could I do now that I thought I couldn’t?

I’m going to go find out.