The Heat of Summer

Fever.

Every couple of summers or so I pick up a summer flu or infection of some kind that knocks me onto the couch and under blankets.  Though summer sicknesses never seem to linger the way a winter bug will, it always feels somehow worse than in other seasons.  I know that this is entirely psychological.  Summer is the season of fun and vacations and running around outside, not the season of tea and cuddling up in the early evening, being sick isn't in the plan.  What is valuable though, is the reminder that true illness or injury, major accidents, cancer, diabetes, is never in the plan, they have no convenient season.  While spending a day or two watching movies and sipping soup might be a summer in the sunny season, days of doctors appointments, treatments with debilitating side effects, and week to months of recovery is far worse.  Losing even a day or two, seeing how quickly we fall behind in life, how much there is to miss, is a really good reminder to take good care of ourselves.  Prevention is a practice that is entirely within our control, even if it's not something that is fostered by our dominant culture.

Be well.  Stay healthy.  Make good choices.