Recently, I have been under the weather and have been blighted with a lingering chesty cough since mid-January. I even needed to take a few days off work which is something I don’t usually do. So, this bout of sickness has really taken the wind out of my sails.
Although I was not confined to my bed for the duration of my sick leave from work, I did become somewhat restless indoors after a few days. Being too discombobulated to focus on anything like reading or cooking, I also soon got bored of doing nothing much. I did make good progress with some Spanish language skills but there’s only so much a person can do of one single thing in a single day!
Despite still not being fully recovered, I returned to work this week and managed to survive. It was actually a welcome distraction from home and the monotony. Whilst I did enjoy the peace at home, there is a part of me that doesn’t like a solitary existence for more than a few hours. I need human interaction and to feel a part of the larger world. Going back to work helped me feel useful and normal again. (I wonder how I managed to work from home, years ago, in a setup which was not far removed from solitary confinement!)
The truth is, I find people interesting and I enjoy (most) social interactions. I love to meet people from all walks of life with their myriad of experiences, some of which I can relate to and some of which I have absolutely no knowledge of. But together, it all fascinates me. I also like to challenge stereotypes others might have of me upon meeting me for the first time. I have lived long enough to know there are many people with their many stereotypes. For example, on the first cursory meeting, some think I don’t speak English, I have not experienced higher education and the list of negative imagery goes on… I enjoy being a public representation of Islam and to show others that they probably were far off the mark when making their secret and silent prejudgements of me.
So, whilst I recover from this cough, I cherish the time I have now to also recuperate from the breakneck speed I find myself moving in just to keep my home ticking over. The cough has, strangely enough, allowed me time to pause and appreciate things in slo-mo.
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