Forgetting Behind, Straining Ahead
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, Phil. 3:13
Last year when my appendix ruptured, it was a fairly painful experience from start to finish. One relic that I kept was a pair of hospital issued blue socks with some branding from a health care conglomerate in plastic fused onto the fabric. Not very comforting on any measure employed.
I haven't worn them since the hospitalization. A couple of weeks I asked myself the question of "Why I Am Keeping These Around?" For the fond memories of peeing fire, trying to rock out of bed, the killer antibiotic, the nurse stealing a trifling $5.00 out of my wallet?
I would put a photo of the blue socks as a pic but I am just not into giving them any publicity. Soon to be in the trash.
There was no reason to keep the socks except as a reminder of the unsavoriness of the entire experience. The low-point was post surgery when my roommate kept coughing up hockers day and night, spewing his germs into my personal hygiene zone, and him watching inane television programming. I turned on Sesame Street to elevate the intellectual vibe of the room. I am serious.
The Doctor gently suggested that the man should consider quitting smoking, at least until his double pneumonia cleared up. Ah, he was on the public dole. No worries.
There is tremendous amount of freedom of throwing away reminders of failure and negative experiences. There is perhaps some value of keeping some records of adversity--like I did when I kept about 50 letter of rejections for employment after I quit my last job as a remembrance to not take a job for granted--but then there is a time to toss crap out.
Without getting too personal, I have also taken an inventory of other thorns lodged in my physical flesh and space recently and have jettisoned a couple of items that no longer served any purpose besides reminding me of pain. I don't need them. I don't need that. See ya!
Last year when my appendix ruptured, it was a fairly painful experience from start to finish. One relic that I kept was a pair of hospital issued blue socks with some branding from a health care conglomerate in plastic fused onto the fabric. Not very comforting on any measure employed.
I haven't worn them since the hospitalization. A couple of weeks I asked myself the question of "Why I Am Keeping These Around?" For the fond memories of peeing fire, trying to rock out of bed, the killer antibiotic, the nurse stealing a trifling $5.00 out of my wallet?
I would put a photo of the blue socks as a pic but I am just not into giving them any publicity. Soon to be in the trash.
There was no reason to keep the socks except as a reminder of the unsavoriness of the entire experience. The low-point was post surgery when my roommate kept coughing up hockers day and night, spewing his germs into my personal hygiene zone, and him watching inane television programming. I turned on Sesame Street to elevate the intellectual vibe of the room. I am serious.
The Doctor gently suggested that the man should consider quitting smoking, at least until his double pneumonia cleared up. Ah, he was on the public dole. No worries.
There is tremendous amount of freedom of throwing away reminders of failure and negative experiences. There is perhaps some value of keeping some records of adversity--like I did when I kept about 50 letter of rejections for employment after I quit my last job as a remembrance to not take a job for granted--but then there is a time to toss crap out.
Without getting too personal, I have also taken an inventory of other thorns lodged in my physical flesh and space recently and have jettisoned a couple of items that no longer served any purpose besides reminding me of pain. I don't need them. I don't need that. See ya!
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