Luck
My last post was on the 7th. I reflected upon the nature of a common sore throat/head cold. Five days later I am able to write again. The illness was uncommon, something that at times I wondered if my now older body would overcome. With illness, there is one winner. The immune system is able to muster enough energy to counterattack effectively, and the subject recovers. Or the bodies defensive resources are inadequate, and the subject expires. I found myself thinking in those terms. In my mind I’m about half my chronological age. My cells, my organs however are engaged in the firefight given the actual years and actual miles that I’ve put on them. The first two days I was uncomfortable, but taking over the counter medication and expected to be better shortly. Day three and four were much worse, with the onset of persistent fever, weakness. Thankfully on day three an antibiotic and a powerful steroid were brought to the fight.
Have you experienced firing a military grade assault rifle? Imagine the psychological shock that seizes the mind, when one feels the snap of a bullet passing close to one’s ear. The mind/body intuitively knows how sudden and violent the end can be. There is a story from the Vietnam war era. The Americans began to face the AK47 in the hands of the Viet Cong. On patrol a young private hears a firefight break out at the head of his column. He steps off of the trail, immediately seeking cover. He stands behind a tall tree about eight inches in diameter. At head level the tree suddenly explodes into splinters. The soldier drops silently, without a cry, folding into a heap in the tall grass.
At some point you and I will be behind a tree. Whatever our defenses may be, –they will not be enough.
Today I return to work. Luck.
2 thoughts on “Luck”
Your words on the battle of our immune system against microbes is something I often think of when such a battle rages inside. It is a battle of non-thinking entities, both are programed by DNA to do their duty, only one will win. Most times our immune system wins the battle, it only looses once. Like the kid behind the tree, all is well until it isn’t. He had the fear of previous battles as we feel the ravages of bacteria killing off good cells. Life is at times a hidden struggle for survival. It’s maddening that when it comes to disease we do not have a choice in picking our enemies.
Richard Dawkins said:
At least a part of life should be devoted to living that life, not just working to stop it ending.”
Gary, some good thoughts. I am intrigued with how much of reality is hidden from us. That gives much weight to Dawkins observation that in the main, we should just live. So much is and never will be amenable to our control.