I HAVE BEEN ILL

For the last couple of days I have been suffering from a lurgy. By definition this is an undetermined illness. I have been sneezing a lot, mild headaches, runny nose and sore throat. My chest hurts when I cough. I seem to cough a lot. Why is this of any interest? It is not of any interest at all, save that as a newly enrolled MA student of what is entitled performance writing, about to produce a 10 to 15 minute presentation on and about my ‘writing practice’ (which at present consists almost entirely of this blog) I must bear in mind that whatever word I utter should be chosen with great care. It is just possible that some people might read or hear them and be influenced by them. I am aware that is highly unlikely; but, if it is, whether that influence is for good or ill may be of some importance. I would prefer that influence to be for the good, however, in my current state of health, i.e. ill, there is a risk that illness might infect the writing, the performance, the reader or the audience, should such people exist. Since I started in January there have been some 5800 page views of this blog so I must assume that some of the viewers have actually read this stuff.

With this in mind, I produce a couple of quotes from Siddhārtha Gautama, which relate in a small vague way to my current state of being:

“There are five things which no one is able to accomplish in this world: first, to cease growing old when he is growing old; second, to cease being sick; third, to cease dying; fourth, to deny dissolution when there is dissolution; fifth, to deny non-being.”

 “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.”

I am growing old and I may not accomplish the second of the five things no one is able to accomplish in this world, and I think I’m still alive. I should be thankful, but I realise that is of no importance to anyone else.

I hope to resume normal serendipity blogging as and when I get near achieving a ceasing to be sick. If you have been, thanks for reading.
Some of you may remember Fred Allen. He was just out of hospital when he did this show.