Column Saskia Stender: A celebra­tion on crutches

A minor accident on the ski slope, nothing serious. Or so I thought. Not long after, I was wearing a brace, walking on crutches, and confronted with a temporary driving ban of at least eight weeks. Eight weeks without driving. Eight weeks of rearranging plans, eight weeks of depending on family, friends and colleagues. That takes some getting used to. Because public transport? Not exactly a celebration on crutches.

Fortunately, everyone is being very cooperating. Appointments are moved to Teams without any discussion. Not my favourite, but fine, it works. And as if that wasn’t enough organising already, I have also just bought a house. Renovating and moving soon when I can't lift or carry anything? It seemed impossible. But help came from all sides. People turned up to put up wallpaper, paint, pack boxes and carry furniture. Thanks to them, I am still going to meet my target moving date.

And then there was the OSV Winter Barbecue. I was carried there, figuratively speaking, that is. Before I knew it, I had a plate of barbecued meat in my hands. “Just sit down, I’ll get myself another plate.” I can tell you, that really gets to you. Not much later, a glass of wine appeared next to me, and without me having to ask, dessert was spontaneously brought over as well (they know how much I love desserts).

I would love to be able to move around freely again, but for a moment I consciously paused to realise how special all of this is. This social safety net feels at least as solid as my new brace. Being dependent is really not just a punishment. With a barbecue, wine, good desserts, close friends and a strong network, it almost turns into a celebration.

Saskia Stender
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