Elisabetta Mijno, archer and hand surgeon

NAVIGATING THE IMPONDERABLE

Inevitable events can deprive people of certain abilities while simultaneously offering them clues to develop others. This is what happened to E.M.

At the age of five, she lost the use of her legs in a car accident—her first unmanageable encounter with the imponderable.

 There is a wisdom beyond consciousness that knows how to turn losses into opportunities for redemption. A hidden wisdom that enables E.M. to alter the trajectory of fate’s cruel blow, transforming the imponderable into a resource: first in sports, then in her profession.

She does not fear her physical limitation. She manages to see beyond her disability. Dreaming inspires her to think differently, starting with how she views herself.

At the age of ten, she took up archery. Her unconscious, communicating through images and emotions, recognised in the moment of waiting for the arrow to reach its target a symbol of the unpredictable, drawing her toward that sport.

Her intuitive wisdom identified the bow as the physical counterpart for psychologically managing the imponderable, guiding her to transcend limitations and overcome insecurities.

“Archery,” says E.M., “is cruel. It’s not a sport where the more you train, the more you succeed. There’s something suspended. You have to delve deep into yourself, shield yourself from your fear of failure, and let your mind do the work.” By delving into herself, E.M. continuously pushes the boundaries of what she can achieve. Fears and uncertainties join forces with desires and hopes. Defeats become postponed victories and hurt less in the process.

The same wisdom that guided E.M. toward archery also shaped her professional choice of hand surgery, recognising in the scalpel a new tool to continue pursuing her dream of managing the imponderable—an unpredictable force capable of extinguishing aspirations.

During her specialisation, another form of unpredictability blocked the path to E.M.’s professional dream: prejudice against a surgeon in a wheelchair. Once again, E.M. pushed the boundaries of her own possibilities, allowing others the time to understand and accept, ultimately achieving inclusion.

Today, she is part of the hand surgery team at the Orthopaedic Trauma Centre in Turin, Italy.

R.S.   © All rights reserved.