Playing the hand you're dealt

So, I've been blogging alot lately about reconnecting with school mates I haven't seen in years. This week, I reached out by phone to Caroline; my best friend from 3rd grade through high school!

Caroline and I were always together. If I tallied the hours in each year from junior high school to the day I left for college, I wouldn't be surprised to find I spent more hours at Caroline's house than I did my own. Caroline and I did everything together - we both got our licenses on the same day [even though I was almost a year older than Caroline, I waited until she was old enough to apply.] We won tickets to our first concert (Elton John!) from a local radio station. We enjoyed many sleepovers in her basement - baking cookies, frosting our own hair (does anyone remember Quiet Touch?) and mooning over boys.

One summer during our teenage years, Caroline's cousin came over from England to visit. Josie was everything Caroline and I were not - a bit older, worldly, sexy and exotic. In a very homogenous town, she was different. And, she caught the attention of the boys in ways Caroline and I had never dreamed possible. I envied her. I think Caroline may have, too. We spent an entire summer in Josie's shadow. I longed to be exotic, thin, pretty with dark hair and a foreign accent. In essence, I longed to be Josie. I would have given anything to trade lives with her at that moment.

After our graduation from high school, my decision to attend college out of state changed our paths forever. Caroline stayed home and ventured into the working world, while I pursued my Bachelor of Arts degree 5 hours away. I came home for winter and summer breaks - but by then we'd both changed. We kept in touch through cards, letters and the occasional phone call - but our lack of shared experiences gave us less to bond over. My parents moved out of state during my senior year of college and I never returned to my childhood home again. Caroline eventually married and started her family. Our contact trickled down to Holiday cards with photos of her growing family and eventually even that was lost.

My conversation this week with Caroline was our first contact in years. During the call, Caroline caught me up on her life and family. I was saddened to learn her Dad had lost his life to cancer about 4 years earlier. I was shocked to hear that Caroline's cousin Josie had unexpectedly died last winter.

Learning of her death made me stop and think about envying others instead of truly appreciating the gift of my own life. If I had known as a teenager that Josie would be dead at 50, would I have been so willing to have traded places? I hope that I can remember to truly appreciate the hand I've been dealt in this life. I hope I can remember that envying someone else's perceived hand when you can't see all their cards is pointless. The hand you've been dealt may very well be just as good, or better.

Starve A Cold, Feed a Fever?

I know I'm not the only one out there who can't recall this saying properly... in fact, I still question which is it?... And, at the moment, I am suffering my way through a cold and don't much care. If I'm hungry, I eat. Even if I'm not hungry, I still might eat. I'll do just about anything to try and take my mind off how lousy I'm feeling until I'm feeling better again. I wish that there was some cure for the common cold.
Of course, when you are suffering from a cold, it's like the opening for every friend and family member to give you their tried and true methods for fighting back - suggesting you take Vitamin C, more zinc or eat chicken soup. What I have found, if you try any of their helpful suggestions to treat a cold, you're sick for about 7 days. Without doing anything, you're sick for a week.
Discovering I have a cold has also prompted people I come across to ask me, "Have you gotten a flu shot?" My answer to them is a simple "no." Nor do I intend to. Call me crazy, but I believe that the body has an inherent immune system designed to combat what ails you. That's not to say there aren't those with compromised immune systems that may require a little outside assistance now and again. I just don't think the average healthy human needs one. In fact, I also believe that surviving a cold or flu helps to build your own immunity, so you're less likely to get sick.
Have I ever suffered a bout of influenza? Sure. I got sick with flu 2 years ago and I'll admit, it was pure misery getting through it. It was also the only time I can remember since early childhood. Perhaps I've just been lucky, but I tend to believe it's more a case of a healthy immune system and a common sense approach to illness when it strikes - making sure I get enough rest, eating right and getting exercise - and trusting my body knows enough to help itself when the time comes to build that army of antibodies needed to take control back.
I've promised those who have suggested I need this flu shot a nasty wake-up call at 3am if I do come down with a bought of flu this season - because I believe they've jinxed me just bringing the subject up. I cursed myself in 2007, when I told a co-worker I almost never get sick, only to contract the flu a few days after making the fateful comment.
So, if you think you need to go out and promote the flu shot to those of us who think we're fairly adequately protected by our healthy immune systems, I want you to remember another old saying - "misery loves company"... you'll be the first person we'll seek if we get sick!