I’m down with a throat infection at the moment ( ‘ pharyngitis ‘, if you want to make it sound serious), and it’s the first time in quite a while that the pain is bothering me. Usually, I embrace the fever and aches – knowing that each bit of sickness is actually a blessing – an expiation of sins. This time, however, it’s worse than usual.
I’m not complaining though, because I get time off work – which is always good. Best of all is the actual space and time – free of the usual pressures of life. I can sleep until 9a.m., take really long, hot showers (which counteract the chills of fever), and enjoy undisturbed afternoon naps – giving my body the physical rest it needs (but most often doesn’t get).
What I love most about fever, though, is sleep. Fever-infused sleep is amazing because dreams are so much more intense and varied. For example, last night I took an incredible journey through the solar system – somehow passing very closely by the moon and planets
.
The depth of sleep also is different. Sleep – especially at night – feels so incredibly lengthy…where 2 hours feel like 5, and even though you don’t feel
tired, you can just close your eyes and go back to bed.
Such luxuries – though free – are rare in life today, and I imagine I’ll never know them for an extended period until I hit retirement age (30 years to go!).
So for now, I take this blessing of sickness and am grateful for the little things that come with it. I think everyone deserves times like these once in a while 🙂
slip-sliding away..... 