Resistance versus Acceptance

I was sick this week (actually, I'm not the only one...I know a few people that have been sick over the past week or so).

I'm rarely sick or ill (touch wood) and when some kind of ailment turns up on my doorstep, I usually bitch and whine about it. "Sick! Why the f*ck am I sick? I take such good care of myself! This is bullshit. I don't deserve to be sick. Waaa waaa waaa."

Upon reflection, its a pretty ridiculous response to an illness (or any situation life may throw at you). Like complaining or denial will help the situation even one iota. Not to mention you look like a wimp and possibly even an idiot.

Being sick this time around has taught me a few things...

First of all, things don't always go your way. Yeah, no shit. No one ever plans to be sick and subsequently, there is never really a convenient time to be sick. "Oh yup, Friday is pretty free for me Mr. Body, so feel free to let me down then - that suits." Please - spare me. Even the best laid plans run off the rails sometimes. If you fall off the horse, get back on it. The measure of the man is how many times he was prepared to get back on the horse, not how many times he fell off.

Second, resisting the reality of your situation does not change it. Sounds simple, but if you can somehow implement that idea into your daily life, consistently, you're a better man than I. Denying a situation, like the fact that you are getting sick, is a strategy destined to fail. Its akin to expecting your car to run with no petrol or thinking you can walk out of the supermarket without having paid for the things you took off the shelf. DUMB! Denying or ignoring those facts does not change the reality. Your car won't move without fuel and not paying for a bunch of groceries could land you in the back of a cop car.

Acceptance is the smartest course of action. Have the nous to recognise a situation for what it is. There's nothing personal about it. Take your ego out of it. "Waaaa, why is this happening to me?" Its useless and it will change nothing. What's more, its unattractive behaviour to see in other people. "Man up" and take responsibility for any situation that comes your way. Face it and deal with it in an intelligent manner. You can only have an intelligent course of action if you accept the situation for what it is and then decide how you're going to go about dealing with it.

So next time I see illness on the horizon, I'll give my body what it is really asking for - some rest and little more care.

No whingeing - just do what the situation calls for.

Wow, that almost sounds....smart?