On Thursday night, Jerry and I returned from a wonderful trip that included Thailand and Japan.  I’d planned on writing about our trip, but I was hit with a nasty case of jet lag. When we travel a long distance, I always hope that this time the jet lag won’t be so bad.  In spite of all the ingenious ways we have to deal with jet lag, we are always bewildered and frustrated by its effects, and suffer miserably for the first couple of days.  Today, four days after we returned, I am feeling lots better, but it’s interesting to reflect on how I experience and work with “feeling unwell,” and what that time teaches me.

Day One—Friday

                Actually I don’t remember much about Friday.  My body and brain felt like a mud pile.  I know the weather was nice that day, but that’s about all! 

Day Two—Saturday

                I remember having a couple of incomprehensible conversations with friends and family.  I’m not sure what we talked about, but I’m pretty sure that I didn’t make any sense!  But since almost everyone has had jet lag, I expect they’ll forgive me for not saying anything memorable, and that if I made any promises, they’ll remind me of them in due time…I’m sure I elicited my due amount of pity for my exhaustion and babbling…if I didn’t, I’m sure I made up for it with self-pity!

Day Three—Sunday

                I actually had moments of feeling normal.  Going to the gym and getting some exercise helped a lot, and drinking lots of water gave me hope that I would survive the exhaustion, nausea and brain freeze.  I even went grocery shopping.  I’m not sure that I bought everything we needed, but I’ve not noticed anything missing so far!  I also remembered what my practice teaches me—that even though jet lag is almost always miserable, it is never the same, and the symptoms come and go; when I balance resting with light activity, I also feel lots better.

Day Four—Monday

                This morning was as close to normal as I’ve been yet!  I slept pretty well, went for my early morning walk, talked to a couple of snowy egrets and enjoyed the early sunshine.  Ultimately, I realized (as I always relearn) that I cause a lot of my own suffering:  my thoughts about jet lag, of course, only intensify my struggle, until I realize that I am trying to make the experience different than what it was in the past, because I’ve held onto the belief that this time it will be different.  When I realized that I increase my unwellness by wishing it were different, I am able to settle with less resistance into what is occurring, and find that this relaxing reduces my overall tiredness just a bit, since I struggle against it less.  I also find some in peace in realizing that jetlag is simply jetlag, and although it was uncomfortable and limiting, it will pass.

Day Five—Tuesday

                I feel great!  I also know that my sense of well-being will probably come and go over the next few days, but I’m so relieved to feel more well than unwell.

                Since I am blessed with being well most of the time, I’ve learned over the years that being unwell is actually a little scary to me, even when I know that it is temporary.  It reminds me that no matter what I do, I will eventually experience some unwellness in life.  Yet  I’m reminded that there is no controlling these symptoms or hurrying their passing, and that I must live with my condition until my body is able to recover.  It simply is what it is.