Yes, yes… I know… I’ve been an absent-blog landlord. If you didn’t know better, you’d think I moved. Of course, I haven’t. I’ve just been getting over the flu… and bronchitis… and sinus problems… and coughing fits… and exhaustion…
I haven’t been sick like this for years and years. It has seemed to go on and on and on. I’ve struggled with this illness in more than one way. I think the hardest part has been dealing with the guilt I feel when I don’t work at least full time. It makes me feel like I’m letting everyone down.
But I just haven’t been able to work as many hours as usual. I’ve been too worn out. I finally came to the conclusion that I have to stop pushing myself too hard. If I don’t, it will take even longer to get over this thing.
This TIME it is TIME for me to take TIME to get completely well.
But there is good news! I have hope that I’m going to get over it. Here’s some quick updates of my activities (and non-activities) during the last week. You’ll see that I’ve been making progress.
Thursday: The following internal conversation took place, “Dead. Dead. I’m nearly dead. Please, somebody shoot me. I need to post something in my blog so that I can relieve the guilt level. Oh, I know… I’ll move a recipe from one blog to another one. Good idea.”
Friday: Deciding that the recipe plan was the only kind of blog post I was up to (it’s a simply copy-paste-release move), I did it again. The recipe had been requested so it was a win-win-win.
Saturday: Some friends and I have season tickets to a local theatre. This time we saw a new musical (well, new to us) called Curtains. I wanted to go badly enough that I went. It wiped me out completely. (Don’t worry…I haven’t been contagious for some time.)
Sunday: I managed to go to church (just the main worship part). The meeting lasted 1 hour 10 minutes. After it was over, I was happy to go home and crash.
Monday: I kept up with email and did a few chores that are related to the end of the month. I made a few posts in the forum. I posted another recipe in the blog. Then I crashed again. I watched Dancing with the Stars. (Go Donny!)
Tuesday: Same as Monday, pretty much, except I couldn’t manage a blog post. I found out that Donny made it through to dance again next week. (Go Donny! How many times can I vote for him? 100?)
Wednesday: Gary drove me to the bank. I had a check that had to be deposited by the end of the month so I couldn’t put it off any more. I made him stop by Deseret Book to get some of their famous, yummy orange rolls. I worked a few hours after I came home. The trip to the bank wiped me out, pretty much. I ate three orange rolls. Afterwards, I felt fat and guilty for succumbing to orange-roll temptation.
Today: I had a HARD time getting out of bed this morning. I’m still exhausted and kind of achy. My orange-roll hangover didn’t help. After I laid there for a while, feeling sorry for myself, I got up and took a shower. I felt a little better afterwards. The good news is that it’s going better for me today. It’s 3:30 already! I’m excited that I’ve made it this long. And look - I’m making a real blog post!.
Hope Shines in Utah Lake
I went upstairs a few minutes ago and looked out my bedroom window. I gasped when I saw Utah Lake sparkling in the sun. I had forgotten that I can see so much of it once the leaves fall off of the trees. This is just a portion of the view I have.
The shimmering lake reminds me of the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (Hiawatha). Here’s a little bit of the poem:
By the shore of Gitche Gumee,
By the shining Big-Sea-Water,
At the doorway of his wigwam,
In the pleasant Summer morning,
Hiawatha stood and waited.
All the air was full of freshness,
All the earth was bright and joyous,
And before him, through the sunshine,
Westward toward the neighboring forest
Passed in golden swarms the Ahmo,
Passed the bees, the honey-makers,
Burning, singing In the sunshine.
Bright above him shone the heavens,
Level spread the lake before him;
From its bosom leaped the sturgeon,
Sparkling, flashing in the sunshine;
On its margin the great forest
Stood reflected in the water,
Every tree-top had its shadow,
Motionless beneath the water.
From the brow of Hiawatha
Gone was every trace of sorrow,
As the fog from off the water,
As the mist from off the meadow.
With a smile of joy and triumph,
With a look of exultation,
As of one who in a vision
Sees what is to be, but is not,
Stood and waited Hiawatha.
I love the line, “Sees what is to be, but is not.” It rings of hope.
Hope. Hope is good. I have hope that tomorrow will be even better than today. I have hope that soon, this flu/secondary illness episode of mine will be just a memory.
(By the way, I have one more orange roll left. I am going to eat it. Then I’m going to crash and be happy that I only have one more orange roll calling my name and that I got so much done today!)
