I Fell on Mother’s Day… and It Was the Best Thing That Happened to Me
- For Your Inner G
- May 15
- 6 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
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A Beautiful Beginning
It was a beautiful, cool Sunday morning.
I woke up to the smell of breakfast being cooked.
Fresh roses blooming—some freshly clipped and placed in a vase.
It was just… beautiful.
I decided to head out to the garden and get ahead of the heat.
“Let me prepare for a new planting season before the sun gets too loud,” I thought.
At 6:45 AM, I stepped outside—no speaker, no playlist.
Just me, a shovel, and the presence of God.
I let the silence be sacred. I let God fill my ears and my heart and I was having a time!
Plucking weeds.
Pulling up crabgrass.
Birds singing.
Clouds rolling slow.
It was a beautiful day.
A Father’s Warning + A Stubborn Daughter
Let nostalgia guide my hands.
Then my dad came out.
He scanned the garden, clearly impressed by my progress…but not my pile.
“This trash can is full,” he said. “Be careful. It’s gonna be hard to move.”
I heard him and yet…I kept going. I was almost done.
Besides—breakfast was calling me! I love to eat and that aroma was floating right into the yard like an invitation from the ancestors!
God, You Speaking? Or Nah?
Then it got real divine, real quick.
First a snail crossed my path.
Then a hummingbird.
Then a lizard.
I paused, squinting up at the sky like:
“Okay, God. You speaking? What’s the message here?”
I wrapped up my garden bed duties, returned the tools to their spot, put my foot on the trash can to roll it away and then—Boom.
I fell.
Backwards.
Dramatically.
Trash can slid out like it had wheels from Fast & Furious.
Landed on my left leg.
Right leg: spared.
Ego? Not so lucky.
I heard myself screech,“Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow!” Like a child discovering pain for the first time.
My dad’s voice came flying across the yard: “Hold on—I’m coming!”
He sounded pissed.
Concerned.
Panicked.
(And low-key like, “Didn’t I just tell you?”)
Lesson Loading…
He lifted the bin. Told me to slide back slowly.
I moved inch by inch, praying my legs still worked.
They did. Bruised—but intact.
Dignity? Slightly missing and all I could think was:
“God… we just had a whole prayer session last night. Under the moon. What is this? On MOTHER’S DAY?”
The Answer Comes Quickly
I heard it clear as day: “Yup. I heard you. It’s time for you to get out of your own way.”
I limped inside.
Embarrassed.
Confused.
Started asking God questions.
What am I supposed to release?
It’s not the yard—I love the yard. It’s the doing. The doing everything…by myself..?
Mental Health Awareness Month Meets Divine Humor
This all happened during Mental Health Awareness Month.
And it hit me—We often don’t take the help that’s available.
We say we need rest, support, softness…But when it shows up, we ignore it.
I laid down to rest—because that was the only option.
And slipped into a morning dream.
In it, God said:
“You are so capable. So strong. You can do so much.
You’ve shown Me your heart.
You’ve made your purpose + values clear.
But now…
I need you to fully embrace the part of you where your true power lives.
In your feminine energy.
You don’t need to carry both anymore.
I’m preparing you for more.
But first—
I need you to release the need to lead with your masculine energy.
So…
I’m going to slow you down for a little while.
Okay?”
I woke up.
My right knee was now throbbing.
The one that hadn’t been touched.
I looked at it—swollen.
I laughed and cried at the same time.
“Oh… You really meant ‘slow down....slow down..?’”
I Didn’t Want This Lesson Like This
On Mother’s Day?
I cried.
I shouted.
I was angry.
On one of the days I love serving the most....!!?
“God, You could’ve whispered this to me in my sleep. You didn’t have to throw me to the dirt like that!”
After the emotion passed,
I surrendered.
I embraced the lesson and allowed healing to take place.
Sometimes life breaks you just enough…to help you finally rebuild right.
That Fall Was the Best Thing That Happened to Me
It forced me to:
Stop being the Strong Black Woman. Not because I don’t know how—but because I don’t need to be.
Stop pouring from a cup that God was clearly trying to refill.
Stop proving that I can when that’s not the divine assignment.
Stop performing and start embodying my “enough.”
As I sat, laughing with my family, leg iced up, heart wide open— I realized: This was exactly how it was meant to be. I rested and embraced the moment fully.
Be careful what you ask God for. He’ll always deliver—just not always how you imagined. But always how you need.
Things I’ve Enjoyed Since God Slowed Me Down
1. Sleep - Like, deep, healing, lavender-sprayed pillows, epsom-salt-bathed, windows-cracked, Spirit-infused sleep. I know folks say “sleep is for the weak,” but I rebuke that in the name of Jesus. Sleep is sacred. Sleep is power. Sleep is healing. I am enjoying it.
2. Laughter - The moment was dramatic—but also very hilarious. That trash can had wheels of steel + the weight of It crushed me. Bruised me. I was laid out on the ground like a praying mantis.
😂😂😂😂
My dad’s face? Priceless. Laughter broke me open in the best way.
3. Apologizing - Once I recognized what God was building up in me, in that moment, I apologized to my Dad. For not listening. For not trusting his leadership....and he said, “I told you so but....that'll teach you!” We both laughed. That’s healing.
4. Flow - I moved how I felt. Propped my leg up when I needed to. Walked when I wanted to. Watched TV (I highly recommend you watch this beautiful show on Netflix. It gave me a good, joyful cry.)
I even mopped the floor—because I felt led to do something that will help me lightly move around . I love showing up for my family and although I couldn't serve how I desired to on Mother's Day, I am so blessed to have the opportunity to pour into them everyday. I love you Mommy!!
Flow is sacred.
It’s the essence of divine femininity.
That fall changed me. It reminded me: Just because you can. Doesn’t mean you must.
💭 Reflect + ✍🏾Ask Yourself:
Are you carrying more than you need to?
Are you pushing past what this season is really asking of you?
Sometimes it’s not a mental health challenge that’s affecting you.
Sometimes it’s your ego.
Your control.
Your old programming that says, “I can + I must do it all."
You can but you don’t have to.
Lean in.
Accept help.
It’s here for you.
With Love, Truth, Laughter, and Surrender,
Dr. Amirah
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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Amirah B. Abdullah, DrPH
Founder of For Your Inner G | Writer + Wellness Educator
Dr. Amirah is a mindset and emotional wellness guide helping ambitious souls shift perspective, deepen self-awareness, and heal with intention. Through her blog, A Gym for the Mind, she shares poetic reflections, grounded strategies, and soulful truths to support your personal growth journey.
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