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The School Lunch Blindside

Published Date
Author Aimee

by Aimee

There are a few things that happen after a car accident that they don’t tell you about. Like how the muscles in your ten fingers will ache and simple tasks – like wrapping your daughter’s ponytail with an elastic or shampooing your hair – become all awkward and send spasms up your wrists to your elbows.

But everything aches. It’s just that sore fingers are a new sensation after thirty seven years.

Before Sunday, I never knew what would happen nearly every time you close your eyes in the days following a car crash. I’ve discovered that as soon as they’re shut, your mind hits “Play” on a little memory it has called “The Moment of Impact”. The replay is startling every single time: from the sickening, heart-dropping slam of metal on metal to the thud of your head on the side window.

What people do tell you is that you will be sore, maybe even for weeks, and that you should rest as much as possible. Oh perfect. Not a problem. Just as soon as I get these three kids a hot breakfast, out the door for their first day of school, meet the teachers and lug a wailing and writhing Clara out of the school yard because she wants to go to ‘cool too.

So to backtrack: yes, I was involved in a car accident this weekend, with my three littles in the min van. Essentially, one of my worst fears realized. It was my fault, though I’m trying not to blame myself, as I just didn’t see the on coming little Civic tucked in behind an SUV. For once, I wasn’t tired or stressed, I wasn’t in a hurry or even late. I was just pulling out of a parking lot and wham: the car I never saw coming slammed into the front of the driver’s side.

Van

The rest is like a rapid slideshow of images: the children’s frightened faces, the pieces of my van scattered over the road, a woman driving by in slow motion mouthing ‘are you okay?’, the van’s instantly suffocating heat when the AC went out, and how my stomach felt when they hoisted my van onto a flatbed. Incredibly, the children came through completely unharmed.

So all this to say, my enthusiastic return-to-school lunch plans for this week were completely blindsided. My efforts literally squashed in a car accident on the day before school began.

I had plans to bake bread, a wholesome wheat lunchbox loaf, only my hands don’t work normally yet and I don’t trust my wrists to place anything in and out of the oven. I wanted to bake zucchini bread or at least muffins, but I’m supposed to be resting, not making and doing dishes.

I haven’t stocked the pantry – or even the fridge, for that matter. Thank goodness for loads of fresh eggs, a bag of Montreal bagels in the freezer, and apples from their grandparent’s tree because that is what the boys have been taking to school. And that’s been fine, just fine.

Boys to school

Despite my wanting to make the boys’ return to school special, I’ve realized that just being here is enough. Kids don’t really care about cookies or fresh bread (okay, they kind of do). For once, I don’t have to listen to my creative side which is just itching to put together a wholesome, creative lunchbox.

I’ve learned a thing or two this summer about leaning back and gaining perspective on a situation. The big picture today is: I’m not in the hospital, I’m healthy – I’m home. I’m so very thankful for that.

On the rare occasion when I do get to rest, I’ve been reading. There’s plenty of inspiration out there for lunches, should you be looking. Here’s a few places to start, along with my 29 New Lunchbox Ideas.

NEW lunchbox ideas | Simple Bites

How was your return to a fall routine?

The School Lunch Blindside

is a post from Simple Bites

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