Another Coin

Last week I wrote about 2 sides of a coin.  I shared 2 stories as examples.  This week I would like to share one more story.

This past month has been a hard month for me health-wise.  (Generally I am a very healthy person) At the very end of January I got a bad cold that hung on for 2 weeks with a residual cough that lasted until this last week.  Two and a half weeks ago I suddenly became ill with a high fever and severe headache that lasted 24 hours.  One and a half weeks ago I developed stomach problems that troubled me for a full week off and on.  It was during this time that I had my shift about 2 sides of a coin, the positive and negative.  This last Wednesday right around dinner time I began to get a stomach ache that quickly progressed in intensity until I had fluid coming out of both ends, sometimes at the same time.  I don't know for sure, but I suspect food poisoning.  This lasted for 2 1/2 hours.  During this time of excruciating pain and misery I was actually thinking about the 2 sides of my current coin.

On the one side, that kind of sickness is never welcome and always extremely miserable.  The timing is never good.  It left me weak all the next day.

On the other side, I was able to do all that I had planned that day before I got sick.  That morning I had gone to the Family History Center with my mother, something we both look forward to.  What if I had gotten sick while at the library at BYU?  That would have been AWFUL!  How would I have gotten across campus and home?  I don't even want to think about it.

I went to work and was able to contribute valuable service during my time there.  I did not miss any hours.  I stopped to see a friend and visit for a few minutes on the way home,which I really wanted to do.  I started feeling sick shortly after arriving home for the evening.  A dear friend of our had brought over dinner since we still have no kitchen, and so my family had food even though I could not eat it.  I had a very busy week, with obligations almost every night.  Wednesday night I happened to have no obligations..... AND it only lasted 2 1/2 hours, which, granted, at the time felt like eternity, but really it could have lasted much longer.  I am so thankful it didn't.  

While I was in my pain and suffering I was actually thinking about all of this and it made it more bearable.  The gratitude I felt at looking at all the positives actually made the trial less miserable.  It was an amazing contrast, especially since I had suffered all month with sickness and not been one bit grateful.  In fact, I had had somewhat of a "poor me" attitude.  Now, during the worst sickness of the whole month, I felt completely different.  My perspective shift actually eased my burden.  It did not ease my pain, but my ability to endure it was increased in a noticeable way.  Pretty amazing.