Hurt Fingers and Wildfires
Much has happened in a month. I am back to teaching yoga and I am working two other jobs. A wildfire has broken out on Saturday, June 27th, 2026. This has added a layer of awareness and slight stress with what we would need to do if we need to evacuate. The wind has moved the fire, moving away from us, but with the fire only a couple miles away, things can change quickly.
One day last week, I was released from work early with no evening shift, and I went climbing. Yay! Climbing for an hour and a half on the Tension Board. Shortly into my session, my left ring finger started to hurt. I had climbed two days before outside and I wasn’t aware of any pain before my board session. I didn’t push myself hard outside, so I was surprised on my fingers feeling this way. Despite my better judgment, I kept climbing on the board. Checking out the side view of my finger to make sure it wasn’t swollen. At the end of my session, I checked out my fingers holding my hands in front of me, back of my hands facing me. This is when I realized how swollen it was, so swollen.
A week later, it is still swollen. I haven’t climbed, lifted, or done anything really sporty. The fire isn’t helping. I couldn’t help but feel some madness and sadness. I am back to a place where outdoor climbing is easily accessible, and when I was leaving Arizona, I had a different finger injury. I really don’t want to take more time off climbing. This had me thinking, why are my fingers becoming easily injured, and what can I do about it?
First, I looked up what I could do in my recovery process. It sounds like doing some light hangboarding while tapping the injured finger could help the process the first few weeks (depending on how bad the injury is, if it is a severe pulley injury then maybe no hangboarding for the first few weeks). Hangboarding sessions feel important on my way to recovery and also to prevent finger injuries! I’m assuming with my busy schedule I am not climbing enough to keep my fingers strong. I’m hoping with this addition, my fingers will improve and injuries will be less. I haven’t had so many finger injuries before.
Second, instead of getting mad and sad, I am trying to focus on making pottery and practicing and teaching yoga. It’s always possible to come back stronger than before. This finger injury may have a damper on my current climbing, but if I can organize and focus, I will be able to come back and climb harder than before and healthier than before.
Yoga is a great tool to practice being present, accepting what you have to work with, and doing your best.
Everyday is an opportunity to practice this mindset. Gratitude for what you have and what you can do.
Same goes for the wildfire just outside my door. I came home Saturday night, driving right under the fire on the cliff side above. When I got home, I told my partner how grateful I was. Grateful that we are not currently being evacuated. Grateful that I came home with leftover food for our dinner. Grateful that the wind has shifted and we are not in immediate danger.
A gratitude mindset will help everyday situations. I am grateful that I haven’t injured anything worse than a finger, no broken bones.
I pulled over after my shift driving home. I had just passed under the fire on the road. I pulled over to take a photo. It was so sad.
