To Blog or Not to Blog

I suppose if I am to keep a blog, then of course I must blog.

I have been coughing and coughing all day - my sore throat began a few weeks ago, with a general feeling of malaise. Because I work with little kids, who are really like petri dishes, becoming ill is an occupational hazard! When I first began this work I seemed to constantly be ill; colds, flus, coughs, viruses - but since then my resistance has improved. The good thing about not feeling so well is that I have to rest, and then I find time to write.

I am imbibing hot teas loaded with ginger, garlic ,and lemon, as well as chicken soup supplied by my neighbors who themselves were recently ill. I gave them some of my emergency supply of frozen chicken soup, and today they gave me their stash, fortified with set-my-mouth-on-fire peppers.

Yesterday I was out at lunch with family members. I spread butter on warm, crusty sourdough bread and was about to take a spoonful of cream of artichoke soup when the volume around me seemed to fade and go flat. It was like when one listens to music on speakers, and suddenly one speaker stops working. This strange sensation lasted quite a while. I ate my food and strained to listen to what was being said in this new world of one dimensional sound. After lunch I bought Sudafed, took one and in a while full volume sound returned. This 'flat' sensation returned today. I am sure the cough and my hearing and my sore throat are all connected.

Of course this makes me think about my 'wee ones.' So many of them have recurring ear infections, especially the ones with Down Syndrome. They also have hearing problems and have tubes inserted into their ears to drain the fluid. It is fascinating seeing them respond to sound after they have the tubes put in. Their bodies move to music and they look in the direction of voices and sounds.

Our bodies and their workings are miraculous. In Mexico City I saw the exhibition Cuerpos Humanos, the controversial display of human bodies which has been shown around the world. For me it was somewhat akin to a spiritual experience, seeing all the systems and their interactions. The three little bones through which the vibrations of sound are conducted look like beautiful delicate miniatures lovingly carved out of translucent mother of pearl. When everything works as it should, we take it for granted, for the most part. It is enough that one tiny thing go wrong for us to appreciate each perfect little system.

So today I drink my fire inducing fluids and contemplate the mysteries of the body.