“Life is fascinating. I’d been so down on myself about my illness—what it had taken from me—I felt half amazed three strangers would want to talk to me so long and so late. I’d forgotten I had any worth, that I wasn’t just a set of bad sensations in the dark.”
—John Cotter, Losing Music
I can totally relate. When you have a chronic health condition, it’s hard not to take it upon yourself as your whole identity. And then life surprises you with a touching moment with other human beings that you can somehow navigate perfectly. And you are reminded that you are a human being, just like them.
What recent occurrences in your life have reminded you that you are human?
Being alone and isolated brings illness. Itโs what crumbles the powerful. They fear theyโve made too many enemies crawling to the top, well actually manipulating others to do their bidding and being discovered a fraud but I digress. When what is required for longevity is contact with the crowd. When suffering depression the instinct is to hide away, not exercise and get inside oneself. When the exact opposite is the remedy. And when you get out, donโt focus on yourself or how youโre feeling but look outward. Listen and observe like a child seeing something for the first time, fascinated with the banal, the breath and scents. These are what is missing when holed up and hiding. Then, everything and everyone becomes fascinating. When someone asks how you are, tell them Iโm perfect.
Yeah, it’s a vicious circle. If your illness forces you to isolate, your isolation also makes you more ill. Hmm.