It’s early when I leave the house. The air is crisp and the sun is shining brightly. I hit the platform right as the subway roars into the station and it feels like it’s going to be a really good day. I stop off at my favorite coffee cart, and as I wait for my order I am struck by the fact that we are coming to the end of jacket weather. Central Park in the distance promises jacket-less lunches on the grass in the near future.

The four flights of stairs to my office, I take quickly. I’m actually looking forward to being back at work. Yes, I know that sounds crazy. Why the good attitude all of a sudden?

A: I love the springtime. B: There’s nothing like being sick for a few days to make you appreciate your health. I am just recovered from a recent bout with the flu. It’s my first day back.

I’ve been out, holed up, just plain sick since last Thursday—four days if you count the weekend. It is a stomach queasy, head woozy, headache poundy kind of sick. No fun on any account. I doze in and out of consciousness. Time passes so strangely. At first it is unbearably slow. I can’t seem to find a position that is comfortable. I wonder how I will make it through the day. A few moments later, it’s dark out and I’ve sweated through my blanket. A couple of blinks later, it’s the middle of the night and I can’t sleep. Not surprising since I’ve been sleeping all day. I wander out to the couch and fade in and out of a television show I can’t follow.

My head pounds as I lament that I don’t take better care of myself. I’ve been go go go for a few months, so it’s not surprising that it has eventually caught up with me. I need to get more sleep. Drink more water. Get more exercise. At this point, in the middle of the night, I’d promise just about anything to get the headache to go away. It’s a little duller in the morning and I almost feel like I will go to work for a few hours. But when I stand up for a moment, I’m still dizzy. On second thought....

I sit back down. I’m not at all up for the idea of a computer screen or doing any sort of thinking. I drift back to sleep. When my phone rings, I snap to answer it. It’s work calling—with some questions. I keep them on the phone long after I’ve given them the relevant information. I think they can tell that I haven’t had much human interaction recently. They are nice enough to stay on the phone with me and listen to me rant.

Today, I woke up feeling rested and ready to start the day. I’m back on my feet and oh so thankful to be there. I’m going to hang onto this good attitude as long as possible.

And also I should get more sleep, drink more water and get more exercise. I want to stay healthy for the upcoming jacket-free weather.