Sure it sucks being sick, as the weather gets colder, people around you are coughing germs into your airspace, all that. But what I secretly appreciate about getting floored by a cold is that is FORCES me to SLOOOOW down and appreciate myself - taking long, hot baths, getting to bed early and cancelling all outside obligations. Task lists are of less importance. Eating uber clean and making lots of mineral-rich broths*. Indulging in guilty pleasure reading**. This week being sick means lots of me time focused soley (or should I say soul-ly) in the studio, which is exactly what makes me happy.
As some of my senses get dulled down (everything tastes metallic, can't smell), the other senses heighten, and in my slow-down mode my eyes and ears eagerly take in new sights and sounds from surprising places. Such as the lobby in the building of my doctor's office - an extensive art exhibition "And You Thought Puppets Were Just For Kids"***. Or the words of wisdom heard on my new fav podcast, How to Be Amazing, an episode with Tavi Gevinson, a remarkably accomplished and definitely old-soul 18 yr old.
Another gift of a cold is how open and vulnerable you are - we spend a lot of energy on guarding and protecting, that often life's little treasures fly by us unawares. When we're wide open, the universe seems to know to bring them back around to us - like the simple visit from my awesome assistant Kathy and her beautiful Jedi pup. Nothing like a happy corgi to put it all in perspective.
As Tavi so keenly noted, "No magic moments ever come out of Art Directing your own life."
Aho, sister.
NOTES:
*Dr Schulze's Healing Potassium-rich broth
*Rebecca Katz's Magic Mineral Broth
**W mag, YogaMantra, Rookie
***Puppet exhibition curated by Myrna Walton at 220 Montgomery St, SF CA