Feeling the Rain

This year, the only resolution I made is to take Fridays off from work. Like most resolutions it is hard to keep. Sometimes, I am able to do it and other times, work responsibilities prevent me from enjoying an extra long weekend. At any rate, it pleases me that this option is available to me. When I manage to seize the day, I like to connect with friends, maybe meet someone for lunch, or to just hang out.

Today, I was able to have a nice leisurely breakfast at Cora’s with a friend, who is unfortunately going through a difficult period. Although, most areas of her life are going well, there is a particular aspect of her life that is causing her some extreme emotional and spiritual pain. Being a practical person, I was thinking about her situation on my way to meet her, and how I might be of help to her. But the situation is complicated and really did not allow for an easy solution. My best effort was to make her laugh and to give her a book (I did come prepare with gift in hand. I brought a book I knew she would enjoy) that might provide a healthy distraction.

It is in these types of situations that I find myself reflecting on my life. I can’t help imagining myself in her predicament and thinking about how I would handle the situation. In the end, in this instance, I too would be hard pressed to find a practical resolution. Consequently, this exercise resulted in my being grateful that my life is non-complicated and my heart fills with compassion for my friend. Occasionally,we should pause and appreciate the people in our life.

A walk in the Dark

I began to feel a heaviness in my chest on Sunday and I knew I was coming down with a cold. How did I catch this cold anyway? I haven't been on a plane since late June, where I usually pick up some bug without fail, but this last trip I was fine. Now out of the blue I am sick. Hmmm, my husband was on five different planes last week...

Fortunately, I am not that sick that I'm off my feet and lying flat on my back, dying kind of sick. And if it was not for the N1H1 I would not be home from work.

I feel lethargic, sore and dopey. Well not really dopey because I hate taking drugs, and thus I have not self medicated at all. However, last night I was coughing so much I need to take something to calm my cough. It is 1:35 am and so dark in the bedroom, I cautiously feel my way in the dark because I didn't want to wake the sleeping dog. Bodhi our family dog, who was asleep at the foot of the bed, the only member of the household who is not afraid I am going to infect him. The others have abandoned me to sleep in another part of the house. But not my loyal friend, Bodhi.

As I make my way down the hall, I think to myself, I hope I can find some kind of drugs in the kitchen, even children cough syrup, anything. I was willing to take anything. I scan the fridge and find some children's dimetapp that expired in 2007, but who cares. I'll just take more, maybe even the whole thing after all it is for children and really expired way pass the expired date. I tried to open it but it won't budge. What? I know it is child proof, but I'm twisting and turning, squeezing, and turning, pushing down and turning, biting it and turning, but nothing I did would open it. Ugh!

Maybe it has a date sensitive thingy that prevents it from opening once the expiry date is in excess of two years. I doubt it, this particular one is defective. It is not just child proof it is mom proof as well. I chuck it into the garbage and make my way down the hall, coughing, as I felt my way back in the dark to bed.