Last Friday, I took a morning stroll and got a cold brew from a local coffee shop. It tasted horrible and I was disappointed I’d spent $5.17 on it. To make up for it, I made a fresh batch of coffee when I got home. As it was brewing, I had the alarming realization that I couldn’t smell it. Oh no, the last time this happened I had covid.
I took a sip of apple cider vinegar to see whether I could taste it. Then a whiff of nail polish remover. I could taste and smell both, but they lacked intensity. Still in denial, I tried the freshly brewed coffee. It tasted bland and my panic began to rise. The coffee I make is always strong! A couple of hours later I took a covid test and a thick red line immediately appeared next to the “T.” Even with this evidence, I was still somewhat in disbelief. How could I have not realized I was sick? As I think back, the signs were there but I wasn’t giving them enough attention.
Normally I’m good at listening to my body and better at knowing when to rest. Not as much in the summer though, when weekend plans fill the calendar months in advance. I’d felt off all of last week. It was hard to get up in the morning and my brain felt foggy, making it difficult to concentrate or complete a task. Instead of listening to those cues, I cast them aside in an attempt to power through. Telling myself if I go to bed early (I didn’t) I’d be able to get up in the morning with ease. A lack of taste and smell couldn’t be ignored though.
That thick red line next to the “T” forced me to smash the reset button, slow down, and check in with myself. As soon as I did, I realized I needed to rest and took a two-hour nap. I spent the rest of the weekend doing nothing but sleeping and hydrating. On Monday, I woke up and tested myself. Only a red line next to the “C” on my covid test appeared. I could taste my coffee too — pleasantly strong.
With rest in mind, I am serving you a slice of calm for this week’s playlist. It’s a nice companion to my soothe playlist from a while back if you want to double up on calming energy this weekend. May it provide you with a moment of chill and remind you to bask in life’s slow moments when you can. Wishing you a lovely weekend, see you next week!
Wow - glad you had a relatively mild case. My sister-in-law just got it on a cruise and they actually kicked her off the ship at the next port. Still a disrupter, that Covid is!