A common man marvels at uncommon things. A wise man marvels at the commonplace. CONFUCIUS

Saturday 8 November 2008

Happiness, Happiness

Incy Wincy spider climbed up the waterspout/ Down came the rain and washed the spider out/Out came the sun and dried up all the rain/Incy Wincy spider climbed up the spout again! Nursery Rhyme

I like to be happy and I like to be in good health. We all do. But it isn't always possible, is it? Normally I'm an enthusiastic kind of person - manic even - but for the last few days on the Camino I wasn't feeling quite myself. I was fatigued and listless and my feet hurt.

I returned home from Santander the day the Spanish weather broke. I waited for the ferry in a dejected mood, hunched over a freshly-squeezed orange juice in a bar near the quayside, watching the rain bucket down.
Back in England the weather also turned cold and wet. At once I came down with a virus - probably transported from Spain - which the whole family then promptly caught. And the slight swelling I'd been vaguely aware of in my gum turned into a full-blown abscess.

But the antibiotics have now kicked in. I've just been for a walk round the village. Yes, today the depression lifted, unexpectedly, joyously, like a ray of sunshine shafting through a bank of dark cloud.

Illness, malaise, fits of depression can be cathartic. If you get over them. A selfishly optimistic point of view, I know. Because some people can't.

(The photo shows the sun filtering through early morning clouds above Artieda in northern Spain.)

4 comments:

The Weaver of Grass said...

Like depression lifting like a ray of sunshine through cloud solitary walker. Yesterday here was a black stormy sky and now and then a golden sun broke through and illuminated s building or a tree covered in golden leaf - when I think about it a perfect description of depression of the soul lifting. Keep smiling.

Rachel Fox said...

The miracle that is the antibiotic! (and the nursery rhyme!)

Plus manic-highs-and-lows folk of the world unite... We feel the best of life but the worst too...it's hard work but someone's got to do it...

Anonymous said...

Not directly related to this post, but you might enjoy this article about solirtary walking from yesterday's Observer http://tinyurl.com/5fg4ay

The Solitary Walker said...

Just read the Observer article by Sara Maitland - never been to Galloway where she lives but would love to go there.