This morning there was a comment on the blog from someone I was not familiar with. Imagine my surprise upon checking the persons profile to find that it was someone from the United Kingdom! A little research quickly revealed that it was the sister of a friend, which was a further surprise since I didn't even know she had a sister in England. Anyway, for me it was kind of cool. Thanks Lucid Dreamer! I also checked out some of her writing while I was there and found a beautiful phrase that I thought I would borrow. The funny thing is that when I went back to find it this evening I started to think that I must have imagined it since it was no longer there. Had I read it somewhere else? No...I was sure I seen it on her blog and eventually I found it. The reason it was well hidden is because over the course of the day I had managed to twist it around and create my own version. Her expression was "Spirit Holder" which she used to define her physical self. By the time I had gone back to look for it, I had managed to come up with "Soul Keeper". I now like both of them because they both suggest putting a high value on taking care of ones body. Lucid Dreamer and I obviously share this passion.
Anyway, it was while I was out doing my 22 kms that I managed to twist her expression around, but regardless of the words that thought eventually led to another progression of ideas. At about 5 kms there was a group of four people standing in front of an apartment building having a smoke. Not for the first time it occurred to me how utterly bizarre the idea of smoking cigarettes is. I make no judgement of anyone since I myself smoked for about 20 years but that doesn't chnage the reality. To purposely inhale poisonous, carcinogenic smoke into your lungs on a regular ongoing basis is beyond insane is it not? Of course I then went through the whole process of lamenting the pain of the addiction, the cost to our overburdened medical system and the wasted unproductive hours that smokers are cursed with.
And I don't know why my mind took me there, but it then occurred to me how backward it is that marijuana (a far less addictive and far less unhealthy substance) is illegal but tobacco is not. For those of you who belong to the school of "yah but marijuana is a gateway drug", I suggest that you sit outside an NA meeting and poll the attendees as they leave the building. You will find that the vast majority of them will be answering your questions around the cancer stick they already have in their mouth, and upon further questioning you will also find that they have left marijuana behind years ago because it does nothing for them! I don't have statistics for this so I suppose it's only my opinion but I would be willing to put a few bucks on it! Smoking kills!
What did I think about for the rest of my 2 hours? All kinds of stuff not worth reporting on with the exception perhaps of several thoughts of gratitude for all the blessings I have in my life. First and foremost I was feeling good about my ability to run. I don't mean my ability to run far and/or fast but simply my ability to run...period! Many people either don't have the body type or the opportunity or time to do what I do. I spent 2 very happy hours today just putting one foot in front of the other time and time again. For this I am grateful.
I also relived a conversation that Roo and Miguette had yesterday in my presence, in which they rehashed some memories of when I was in the hospital. In particular Claudette told a story of the time I was in the unit during which I had expressed a need to go pee. While I have no memory of it I was apparently informed by Cory that I could just go ahead and pee since I had a catheter in. While I find it significant that I have no memory of this it also occurred to me that at some point while I was unconscious, someone pulled down my pants, grabbed hold of my penis, and shoved a tube up the end of it! What's the significance of this you may ask? Simply this. Today I am able to go out and "enjoy" a 22 km run, while not that long ago, I didn't know or care that people were shoving things up the end of my dick! Both for not remembering it, and for not needing it today I am grateful!
Although it did occur to me some time later when I needed to go pee that a catheter could be a useful thing while out doing a long workout! Where can I get one of those, can you re-use them and does it hurt going in?
“You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."---C.S. Lewis
“What can you ever really know of other people's souls - of their temptations, their opportunities, their struggles? One soul in the whole creation you do know: and it is the only one whose fate is placed in your hands"--- C.S. Lewis
love
peter
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3 comments:
Great Post Old Man!
Love Old John
Yes you can get them, and yes you can reuse them, as some people are forced to do for their life time. It may nor interest you as much when you realize that while your bladder is a relatively sterile environment now, it would become a permanently NON-sterile vessel with repeated foreign body invasions. The reason you felt you needed to pee in hospital is not that you had to pee (a catheter drains the bladder continually) but that this lovely tube was putting your bladder into spasm, giving you that uncomfortable sensation. And then you'd have this bag of liquid flopping against you somewhere, so I think you're better off pissing down your leg. Most people who are forced to use them would be happier pissing down their legs, so remember to enjoy it next time.
I concur with "Old John", great post!
I'm thinking now, what was it that I liked? I don't know specifically - the honest sharing of your ponderings I guess. And then that you accept comments like Cory's, (she adds based on her experience which is different than yours), without feeling "wrong". At least that's my fantasy.
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