When I am sick, my mind is somehow able to conjure through all the little veins intertwined in my thick brain and specify the need to want very specific things. For instance, yesterday all I wanted was some Chinese donuts. Fresh out of the frying pan and straight into the piles of glistening and white granulated sugar. Today, all I want to do is grab a soothing bowl of pho and visit the Dekalb Farmers Market. In fact, when I'm sick, I really only want to do these three things. The truth is that these three things remind me of none other than home. To me, these things are a representation of what is safe, what is secure, and what is sane.
When I was young, my parents would take little old me into the Dekalb Farmer's Market. At first entrance, I can already smell the fresh fishy smell. Walking into this market is like walking a never-ending maze. At least it felt like that at the time. To me, that one fine Saturday morning or Saturday evening, it was an opportunity for me to see the outside world. I saw people of different colors, different religions, and different ethnicity. I see opportunities that I've yet to have. I remember this one specific moment when I was in the market with my mom. I was rolling the cart along while my mother was picking up the veggies. I saw this older man also rolling another cart coming my way but still far enough to look straight at me without being creepy. We looked at each other and I secretly thought to myself, "Someday when I meet my husband it's going to be like this. He's going to see me from a distance and fall head over heels in love with me and then we'll both catch each other's eyes...just like now." Oh, those were the innocent days. I've probably been to that market a total of 6-7 times, but to me that was enough to enlighten this little head of mine. About a decade ago, my dad's sister came to live with us for a few years. She always make Chinese donuts for us. I always get so excited when I return home from work and the house smells of nothing but frying dough. I love it so much. I associate Chinese donuts with a sense of familiarity to family gatherings because once she was done, all my siblings and I would gather around the table with my parents and aunt and we would devour her Chinese donuts to show appreciation for my aunt's hard work, but more so because it was fantastic when it is fresh! Lastly, it has always been said that if one wants to be healed of whatever sickness their body has harbored, all they have to do is eat a bowl of pho. I can't say it's true. The last time I was truly this sick, I ate a bowl of pho and got even more sick. However, it's Pho. Who can resist it? I always crave for it when I am sick, especially now that I'm sick as a dog!
I don't honestly know how I caught this flu, but I know when it started creeping up on me. It started Friday in the late afternoon. I felt an itch in my throat and knew something fishy was going on. By Saturday afternoon, my throat was hurting when I swallowed. Sunday morning came around and I was more gone than a goner. I've been in bed since Sunday and can hardly believe that it's Thursday tomorrow! I'm glad to announce that the hot/cold flashes has finally subsided. I still have the left over cough and all that mucus but other than that I'm well and ready for a day at work tomorrow. I literally slept through four days of life, I lost seven pounds, and my back has been hurting from all these sleeping since Sunday. As much as I hate returning to work, I am so glad to put this sickness behind me. Praise the Lord for the power of healing!
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