Common Joy For The Common Cold
'Tis The Season for Stuffy Noses
Last week, I was in the throes of an old-fashioned, tear-streaming, sneeze-fitting, face-stuffing cold. ‘Tis the season. Merry, Merry.
Worse yet, in my early, early late twenties, I have to play nurse by myself when I’m sick: rotating through medicine, getting my own tissues to blow sh*t out of my nose, and truly sitting in my own yuckiness.
To heal my body and brain, I dug through my bag of creature comforts. I am absolutely not a medical professional in any sense, but since The Time of Colds and Allergies is upon us, I wanted to compile a ritual of things that could, at least, be a blanket of sorts if you get sick.
And since this is language arts, I’ll weave in media and literature to help you feel warm if you’re feeling under the weather.
Step 1: Make A Nest.
Or, Prepare Your Wallowing Space.
You have to put your child-like fort-building energy into this step. Summon all your strength to move your furniture around to optimize your horizontal state. Gather your softest, mismatched blankets from every corner of your home.
I believe our physical spaces can augment our headspace, so building a nest to meet you where you’re at is essential to healing. (Again, I am entirely not a doctor.)
I prefer to drape my biggest blanket over a couch, stuff pillows at my feet, elevate my head, and cover myself in as many blankets as possible. The result looks something like this:
Perfect. The picture of health.
Step 2: Make Yourself A Cup of Throat Coat
The taste of slippery elm, ginger, and honey instantly heals me. It’s my cure-all for voice loss, dry throat, and winter blues.
According to one not-doctor (me), Throat Coat and Soft Gin Gins will make you feel like a person when you’re coughing, sneezing, or otherwise dying. Have both next to your nest as a treat with remedy. You can find them in every grocery store.
While you put the kettle on to brew your tea, jump into your jammies.
DUH. You’re probably already in them.
Soon, you will be as relaxed and dignified as Miss Gin Gin herself.
Step 3: Select Silly, Sleepy Media
Listen… there are two criteria for The Best Sickness Media. I should say: I watch movies because they give me room to attach to something away from my symptoms.
But these rules apply to all Sickness Media.
First, it needs to be goofy. This is not the time to watch that Succession-esque show that’s been on your list forever. Your brain is tender, and you are in no state to take in big plot points.
Second, you need to be okay with falling asleep while watching it. The point, you sweet, sick thing, is to lull you to rest and relax.
Bonus Points if the movie is also shot in near darkness.
Some examples of perfect sick movies include:
Batman (1989)
Big Fish
Space Jam
Napoleon Dynamite
Princess Bride
Paddington 2
Ever After
Poetry can also do the trick.
Leaning Toward Light, Poems for Gardens & the Hands That Tend Them an anthology edited by Tess Taylor
Basho: The Complete Haiku (which you can read online for free!)
The Rain in Portugal by Billy Collins
And with that, you will be well on your way to being in The Cute Meg Ryan Stage of your cold.
I want to get sick just to write like this (if only lol). This is just brilliant!