Things the Flu Can Teach You.

WARNING! This blog may contain graphic images that may not be for the faint of of heart, or stomach for that matter.

Well this is where I spent most of my day Thursday. Now I had things planned but again had to cancel because the flu bug caught up with me. I had an appointment with my Spiritual Director and then a meeting to learn more about the Pastoral Leader program in the diocese, but neither happened. Instead I spent the day between my bed and the bathroom.

Now I really wanted to get with my Spiritual Director because of things going on in my life, and trying to make sense of the events that are unfolding, but I guess I have to wait a little longer.

Whenever I run into situations like that, thoughts seem to find their way in to my head and show me little life lessons. So here are a few that the most recent bout of the flu has taught me.

1. No matter what your plans are, something will always get in the way.

            This was the second time I had to cancel out of my spiritual direction and Pastoral Leader info meeting. Not quite sure what God is trying to tell me here.

2. You may think you are on fire for God, but you may just have a fever.

             This may go with the first one. Not everything that happens is a sign from God. Sometimes people just get sick.

3. Listen to that gut feeling.

              Sometimes you just have that feeling that something is going to happen, so be ready when it does.

4. It is not always good to hold things in.

I hate throwing up, but tend to feel better after I do. Not sure if it is worse to just do it or try to hold it in. But eventually you have to get the bad stuff out. Many feel the same about the Sacrament of Reconciliation; you’ll feel a lot better if you just get it out.

5. Not everything you think is good for you will agree with you.

            Ginger Ale seems to help settle my stomach most of the time. Sometimes it just adds to the problem. (See #4) Some times you just have to sit back and let things follow their normal cycle without any extra help from you.

6. Sometimes small sips are better then big gulps.

             You need to keep hydrated but taking small sips may help it stay down better then taking big gulps. Sometimes in life, it is better to do little things and think them through, instead of just jumping in full throttle and having to back up and make corrections.

7. Sometimes you can't help but multi-task.

             Ok, this may be the gross part, and a loose illustration to multi-tasking, but when your sitting on the throne be sure to have a container ready for other things, if you know what I mean.

8. Never stray too far away from where you need to be.

            I think you know what I mean here. In life too we need to be sure we stay close to things like family, church, pray time, lest we stray too far making it hard to come back when we need to.

9. Sometimes moving slow is better than running.

             The flu can make you weak and sometimes moving a little slower is better. Don’t wait till the last minute to get moving where you need to go. (See#3)

10. Pray for those who hurt you.

             The flu can give you lots of pain and can really set you back. Sometimes others hurt us and can be painful in our lives. When you get those flu cramps, let it be a reminder of those who you feel hurt you and say a prayer for them.

11. This too shall pass.

             The normal flu lasts 24-48 hours though it feels longer, but after it is over we forget how we felt until the next time we get it. Many things in our lives hurt us but we can get over them and move on.

                When all is said and done, and you feel it is safe to start eating again, things will get back to normal and all will be forgotten until the next time.

Good Bless and stay well.