A while ago I was chopping firewood with my splitting axe; the two-handed kind that you swing above your head and hope to hit the log. I missed. I also missed the large cedar base the log was on. But I did not miss my left foot and sliced through the leather boot, nicking my sock but not my actual foot1. What luck!
I think the axe spoke to me. It said, “Next time spread your legs more, and congratulations for bothering with the leather boots today. Muppet”. It gave me a vivid reminder of how potentially dangerous some of the things I do are, and of the safety equipment I own but have never used or those that too often remain in the shed.
Next time I picked a chainsaw I dug up the chaps/leggings I got three years prior… still unused… and always use them now (also chainsaw gloves, visored helmet, and ear protection). I’ve also rearranged my safety equipment so that they’re easier to reach and use. I spread my legs more whilst chopping.