Illness is a Gift

Illness, like any crisis, narrows down your priorities to what's essential. Important is tossed to the wayside, not even making it to the list of priorities. It is a gift.

Until a crisis hits, I may forget my loved ones, and what's most important to me. I am so busy fighting fires, doing what's urgent, but not important, I forget to be and do and say what's essential.

When illness strikes, I am forced to stop, re-evaluate, rest. Whatever it is, and whoever I have neglected has their turn to come to my attention. So often, I don't allow myself the luxury of rest. Illness is our body's way of saying, "You didn't listen to me. It's over until you rest".

When I'm too ill to do things around the house, I'm forced to mull things over. What else can you do with that time? Certainly, on a cellular level and a soul level, it is a choice.

A choice, you ask, outraged? Yes, a choice. Germs are everywhere, and if germs only determined illness, we'd all be ill. We become ill when immune systems are compromised and on a very basic level, we realise we cannot continue down that same path. The way we are doing things no longer works. If our ego ignores this, our subconscious and our bodies take over.

The gift of illness may be different each time. This time around, I realise if I don't take better care of my myself first, how on earth can I care for my daughter, whose every need relies on me? The gift is the sharp reminder things could have been much worse and I need a financial Plan B to what I'm doing now. Without an alternate plan, my loved ones would be left swinging in the wind. Morbid, you may say, but I'm going to receive, embrace and open this gift.

(c) Susan James, All Rights Reserved

For Torran

Well, my little man, you astound me. You have come through so much and little by little you are overcoming your obstacles. I just read you are a whopping 20.5 lbs. Soon, you'll be bigger than Isla, who was 22 lbs at age 20 months corrected and now, one year later, is only 25lbs. Of course, she has stretched upwards, balancing out everything. Never give up, my little man. Blessings and love to you, and all the best to you and your parents this year.