slip-sliding away…..

I’m down with sickness at the moment…one of the very rare times in recent years where the illness is bad enough to keep me at home for multiple days. I appreciate times like these because of the peace they give me. The time off work allows me to mentally disconnect from those particular responsibilities. I’m not really a work at home type of person, and I don’t mentally take my work home with me. But psychologically, just knowing that you have work the next day adds a burden – an unwelcome shadow in the mind – which I could do without.

Physically, I embrace the symptoms of illness. The loss of appetite is a welcome means of self-regulating weight. And, maybe I’m weird, but I actually enjoy the sensations of having fever. The cold shivers and hot sweats – body temperature varying wildly from one extreme to the other. The physical weakness – whereby one normal act makes you so tired that you need to lie down; followed by the ability – and opportunity – to sleep for an hour or two in the daytime. Honouring your body by giving it the physical rest that it so requires – but often doesn’t get enough of (in my case, at least).

Fever-infused sleep is often amazing, because dreams are so much more intense and varied. The thoughts are trippy, and I’m often emotionally transported back to the state of mind I was in during childhood – when life was simpler, more disconnected, and far more relaxed.

Time moves differently, too. Sleep – especially at night – feels incredibly long. Two hours can feel like a whole night, and you can sit up in bed, not feel tired, but just close your eyes and fall asleep again.

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. (Just 26 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.

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On an entirely separate note, if all goes according to plan, the book may launch just two weeks from now. It’s an anthology of my best content from the last 15 or so years – capturing a journey of poetic self-expression through my twenties and thirties.