Taking Some Time Out
How illness can become a blessing
I have been traveling since May 10, starting out visiting my son and his family in California and then 3 weeks in Singapore and Vietnam with my daughter. What a gift it is to share such special times with my children, hiking along the Pacific coast with grandchildren in tow and then discovering amazing coffee and banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) in Vietnam with my daughter. I absolutely love and cherish these adventures.
From Singapore I traveled to Spain to join my brother, sister in law and my partner for a week, another cherished experience exploring the old narrow streets and outdoor dining in the towns of the Costa Blanca. While in Spain I had a fall and broke a rib (at least one) and had a lot of pain in my chest. But it was nothing compared to what hit me when I arrived in England and tested positive for Covid. The coughing from Covid increased the pain in my chest so much that it forced me to the emergency room. I have never been a good patient. I hate when my life has to be put on hold, but I have learned that you reap what you sow. If I could care for myself and take the time without fighting it I would heal faster. So I have been doing just that, sleeping, taking it easy, short outings and no writing.
The book I am writing will birth itself. I feel it and I know it will materialize in its own time. I am just the scribe, the messenger. I believe in its message so strongly that I cannot ignore it. But I can take breaks and I can pace myself. Covid forced this on me but I’m appreciating stepping back and enjoying the view away from the book. My readers are my inspiration, my friends keep me going and the state of the world awakens the urgency in me. I will get back to it very soon.