Home for Christmas
For years, I was the one who came straight back to work the day after Christmas, New Year and Thanksgiving, too. There were things that needed doing, work that didn't stop just because the rest of the world was taking a break. Somebody had to do those ceaseless tasks, and if it wasn't me, one of my coworkers might have to give up holiday plans to come in and work. So, I enjoyed the days off while the library was closed, but dutifully returned as soon as the doors opened again. This year, the work in my new position is not so time-sensitive, at least not at this time of the year. Taking an extra day after Christmas would have little impact on my department; so I planned to join the ranks of those who disappeared from the workplace and spent an extended holiday at home. In truth, it was only one extra day off, the Friday between Christmas and the weekend, but the timing worked out that there would be five whole days to spend in merriment with the ones I love. It would be a rare opportunity for relaxation and good cheer.
The Tuesday before, as I prepared to leave work for my extended holiday, I suspected my plans were about to change. A headache had been creeping up on me all afternoon, and by the time I signed out for the day, it had spread to an ache in my bones. My throat was irritated. Sickness was looming. I put off plans to decorate cookies for any guests we might have over the next few days, not wanting to risk spreading the bug. That night, I went to bed early, hoping to kick it fast and get back to my life and my plans the next day. No such luck. While I'm usually pretty resilient and don't let a cold keep me down for long, this one had me beat. All five days, I suffered through sinus pressure, lethargy, coughing, and a little fever. Too sick to do much of what I had planned for the holiday, I spent most of my days and nights under a blanket on the couch, feeling crummy. I managed a couple of Christmas visits, short and keeping my distance to avoid infecting others, but in general, it was a holiday spent in isolation. The trouble was made worse because my daily medication doesn't play well with the more potent cold medicines. I restricted myself to cough drops and the occasional ibuprophen tablet ( and red sauce, of course), but that was not nearly enough to battle the misery this cold was dealing.
At the end of my time off, the Sunday before returning to work, I could tell that I was coming out of it. My fever was gone, and my biggest problem was the pulled muscles from all the coughing. I thought about all the wasted time. Plans had gone out the window when the cold settled in. All my determination for comfort and cheer was overcome by the illness. Instead of five days of freedom, I had five days trapped on the couch, not even feeling well enough to enjoy the rest. Then, I thought how fortunate I was that I had every one of those days to recover. Free to stay home and rest, I was feeling better at the end of it. Had the illness hit on any normal day, I would have had to call in sick multiple days and still may have suffered longer. With five days to rest with no worries and nobody depending on me, I was able to come back to work with new energy (and a lingering cough, but otherwise back to normal.)
Things happen. Misfortunes find their way into your life. Your happiness depends on how you frame them. I could mourn my wasted time, or I could be thankful I had the time to deal with the illness. Honestly, I did a little of both because as much as I would like to stay positive, I'm human, too, and some things just suck. But the important thing is to recognize that you have the power to choose. When things suck, you can try to find some good in the situation. Make it work for you. Find something to be grateful for, or find some lesson to learn. It may not change the bad parts, but it can change how you see your world. It can help you endure and give you hope and strength to move on to better days.
The Tuesday before, as I prepared to leave work for my extended holiday, I suspected my plans were about to change. A headache had been creeping up on me all afternoon, and by the time I signed out for the day, it had spread to an ache in my bones. My throat was irritated. Sickness was looming. I put off plans to decorate cookies for any guests we might have over the next few days, not wanting to risk spreading the bug. That night, I went to bed early, hoping to kick it fast and get back to my life and my plans the next day. No such luck. While I'm usually pretty resilient and don't let a cold keep me down for long, this one had me beat. All five days, I suffered through sinus pressure, lethargy, coughing, and a little fever. Too sick to do much of what I had planned for the holiday, I spent most of my days and nights under a blanket on the couch, feeling crummy. I managed a couple of Christmas visits, short and keeping my distance to avoid infecting others, but in general, it was a holiday spent in isolation. The trouble was made worse because my daily medication doesn't play well with the more potent cold medicines. I restricted myself to cough drops and the occasional ibuprophen tablet ( and red sauce, of course), but that was not nearly enough to battle the misery this cold was dealing.
At the end of my time off, the Sunday before returning to work, I could tell that I was coming out of it. My fever was gone, and my biggest problem was the pulled muscles from all the coughing. I thought about all the wasted time. Plans had gone out the window when the cold settled in. All my determination for comfort and cheer was overcome by the illness. Instead of five days of freedom, I had five days trapped on the couch, not even feeling well enough to enjoy the rest. Then, I thought how fortunate I was that I had every one of those days to recover. Free to stay home and rest, I was feeling better at the end of it. Had the illness hit on any normal day, I would have had to call in sick multiple days and still may have suffered longer. With five days to rest with no worries and nobody depending on me, I was able to come back to work with new energy (and a lingering cough, but otherwise back to normal.)
Things happen. Misfortunes find their way into your life. Your happiness depends on how you frame them. I could mourn my wasted time, or I could be thankful I had the time to deal with the illness. Honestly, I did a little of both because as much as I would like to stay positive, I'm human, too, and some things just suck. But the important thing is to recognize that you have the power to choose. When things suck, you can try to find some good in the situation. Make it work for you. Find something to be grateful for, or find some lesson to learn. It may not change the bad parts, but it can change how you see your world. It can help you endure and give you hope and strength to move on to better days.
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