Simone

Forgive me, because this is going to be very gross. I am annoyingly sick. It could be my allergies, or a passing cold, but I’m not enjoying this experience. I’m always either sweltering or freezing. It feels like there’s something lodged in my throat. It’s possible that it’s another growing ball of mucus, but even when I hack those up, the sensation lingers.

Of course there’s the benefit of possibly missing school, having a day to watch movies and sleep. But, in high school, is there really any benefit in missing school? The answer is no.

Oddly enough, I love a good stomach bug. The constant pain and fear of throwing up on everything teaches gratefulness, to the extent that no Thanksgiving-themed pre-K lesson can, or will, ever achieve. Once you’ve finally embraced the vomiting, and possibly destroyed a few previously pristine things, a sense of detoxification ensues. There is nothing like the final day of a stomach bug, waking up and feeling less pain. There is beauty in slowly witnessing your day mirror something closer to a day, rather than a monotonous series of fetal positions next to a bucket. Finally, you remember your times of health, feelings which you so craved during your indisposition. We’ll take these days for granted, realizing the beauty of our health only when the next bout of sickness comes along.

I feel so confined. In my house because of these symptoms, and in the same position, because if I move, even the slightest bit, I will break into a sweat. In the laundry list of assignments on my desk lies all the work I didn’t do this weekend. If I do get better, I will have to somehow complete all of this work before 8:00 A.M. tomorrow. ♦