The Joys of the Common Cold

Having a cold isn't nearly as bad as it's cracked up to be. From the commercials on TV, you'd think it was the worse thing that could happen to you after losing your job or finding out your spouse is having an affair with Tiger Woods or Julia Roberts. But unless you have a special occasion to attend, like your wedding for instance, there are quite a few benefits to having a cold. In my recent article, Secondary Gain: The Upside of Being Sick or Overweight, I theorized that for many people the advantages of being sick outweigh the downsides, and in no case is this more true for me than enjoying a good head cold.

Before I continue, let me clarify. I'm only talking a mild head cold here, not the R2D2 virus (or whatever the heck the scientific name for that swine flu bug going around is) or, worse, pneumonia, which I had two years ago and can testify is no concert in the park (although I did get to spend two relaxing nights in the hospital all expenses paid).

Having gone two years with absolutely no cold, cough or anything remotely respiratorily wrong with me, I was surprised to wake up in the middle of the night a few days ago with a sneezing attack usually associated with highly peppered foods. It wasn't long before my head was congested, and I had a full blown case of the common cold.

Rather than be upset about my cold, however, I found myself strangely happy and nostalgiac. I actually got to call in sick to work the next morning and stay in bed as long as I wanted to, knowing it was "my job" to get well and the more rest I got, the better. With a box of tissues at my side, along with my Kindle and TV remote control, I was as happy as a chimp in a banana grove.

For lunch, I indulged in a big bowl of hot chicken noodle soup, the good kind from the Bel Air supermarket deli with flavorful broth and lots of Rotisserie chicken, and throughout the day I sipped and savored hot cups of healing Good Earth Super Green Tea. To allay my symptoms, I took my favorite cold medicine, Tylenol cold tablets, which conveniently come in a pack that has different pills for both day and night time. Only in America, I thought to myself.

For two days I stayed in my jammies and robe without a care in the world and no responsibilities except to get better. It helps, of course, that my children are grown and my husband is self-sufficient; taking care of other people when you're sick is no fun at all, especially when they catch what you have and start acting all grumpy about it.

As much as I love a few days off from the rat race, though, the best part of having a cold is when I start to feel better. Suddenly, feeling normal makes me feel as if I have amazing super powers. The first time I had the energy to carry a laundry basket from the bedroom to the laundry room I felt like Wilma Rudolph at the Olympics.

Who knew how great normal could feel?