In Praise of Back-ups

These last few days, I have been sitting with a cold.  I am indeed better, for which I am grateful beyond words.  I am not quite there yet.  I still need some tender care and rest. 

It is amazing to me the insights that come from being sick.  Bodily functions become so much more clear.  I'm more aware of what works and what should work, but doesn't.  Everything else just seems to fade away.  So what is an example?

For 1-24 hour period, which seemed like an eternity, I could not breathe through my nose.  Needless to say, I was aware of every breath. I should probably be aware of every breath every day anyway.  I also became aware that the marvels of our construction have provided a back-up just perfectly suited for such occasions.  If the nasal passages are compromised, one has only to open one's mouth.  In fact, that happens automatically.  If Nature had not provided this, the outcome of this cold might have been way different for me. 

You could call this little entry:  "In Praise of Back-ups".