It’s not too often that I get scolded. I would say I can’t remember the last time. But, truth be told, I can’t remember a first time.

Yet there I was at physical therapy getting told off because I said a word that was never allowed there.

The word was “can’t” … as in “I can’t do that.”

Then came the extended scolding.

“Don’t say you can’t do something. Of course you can. You didn’t even try. You just announced you couldn’t do it. That’s not acceptable,” said the physical therapist.

She is probably the best therapist at the busy hospital center. I knew she was strict but I was happy to get assigned to Ann Marie as my regular therapist. In fact, I asked for her because I knew she backed her no-nonsense approach with plenty of specialized knowledge that would help me get better faster.

Normally, physical therapists like me because I do try hard. When they tell me to do outside assignments I do them with gusto. I soak in what they have to say because I realize that in physical therapy you can’t just do the exercises there and expect to end your pain.

But I’m a realist and I know myself well. While I know I have many strengths, being a “techie” isn’t one of them.

“If you can read you can do it,” insisted the therapist. “You didn’t even open the package before you declared you couldn’t do it. Surely you can change a battery.”

Actually, no, I can’t. Whenever I drop the TV remote and the batteries fall out I have to go to my husband to get them back in correctly.

I was valedictorian of my college class and I’m not a dummy. But when it comes to understanding technology I guess it would be fair to call me a dummy.

With my teacher’s background I understand we all learn best in different ways. The physical therapist said I should sit down with the owners manual and slowly read the instructions several times.

The instructions for the 7000 TENS nerve stimulating unit I was trying to assemble said to connect the lead wires to the electrodes then to connect the lead wires to the device before placing the electrodes on your skin.

See. It’s simple, I’m told. But I was afraid I would do some harm if I did I wrong. I’m sure all the fourth graders out there are saying easy peasy.

I, on the other hand, need more than one fast set of instructions to know how to do it. I might stand a better chance of learning how to do it if I could write down the instructions as I went along. Plus the printed instructions were the size of ants running across the page.

I couldn’t have the therapists do it because it would be like giving someone a fish instead of teaching them to fish, she said.

I think a lot has to do with early orientation. I remember being amazed at the way my young brother could build his own workshop where he made amazing furniture.

I asked my father how come when we were growing up he always wanted to teach my brother things but he never tried to teach me anything.

How come? I asked Dad.

He said it was because I’m a girl and would not have to know how to do that stuff because my husband would do it for me.

On the other hand, therapist Ann Marie said her father spent hours teaching her how to do everything mechanical. When she bought a car, he said that she needed to know how to change the oil and maintain the car.

Well, he sure did a good job teaching her life skills that would serve her well. In turn, Ann Marie taught her three daughters about the gift of being able to do your things for yourself.

She is also right when she says we should never say “I can’t,” because what we say in our mind becomes our reality.

I wish I could learn how to operate my TENS unit, but it’s going to take a lot more instruction and practice before I can do it.

How I manage to maintain my self-esteem in the face of failure is probably because I graciously accept that we all have different strengths.

While many of us might want to dance, some might be ballerinas while others might be tap dancers. And others might be content to dance to their own rhythm, regardless of what others do.

Truth be told, while there are a lot of things I would like to do better I am happy and grateful for what I can do.

There were some years that I wished I were a bit taller because it’s getting harder to reach some shelves in my cupboard. And forget supermarkets shelves. I can’t reach many of them.

But then I decided to be perfectly content with the way the good Lord created me.

I’ve learned to be content with the gifts I do have and not to stress over what I can’t do.

While that makes me a happier person, it’s probably not going to sit well with my physical therapist if I still can’t operate the TENS unit.

All I can do is to try my best and hope something hits home.

Email Pattie Mihalik at newsgirl@comcast.net