Surviving Covid

Surviving Covid

Four Am in the morning, darkness still engulfing the whole terrain. Sleep parted my eyes, I was wide awake and my busy mind dismissed it all together.

The longing for the outdoors that's been torturing me for a while came to an end which is why I am unsettled. My eyes keep traveling to the window, looking at the far mountains, anticipating

momentarily the break of day light. I was feeling impatient after a long period of incubation and my chest was feeling tight.

I entered the hospital after I was tested for Covid and when my health started to deteriorate.

Then my situation started to get worse and my breathing became harder. Fortunately the

treatment was effective and I was feeling better but nevertheless my condition was serious.....The fact that some unfortunate people who were infected with the virus did not make it was casting a

dramatic shadow on me, but I tried to keep a positive attitude all along. I thought whatever is going to happen will happen, getting worried and depressed will make it even worse...

I read every book that I can get my hands on, interesting or dull. I played all kinds of games, which I previously thought and I still think was a waste of time.

I had endless telephone calls with friends and family members. It brought back beautiful

memories and unforgettable moments that we spent together. It was the fuel that kept me going and the future I looked forward to.

All along I felt the presence of my girlfriend Daisy right there with me holding my hand, pulling

me up during my worst moments, when I was struggling to breathe, and lingering between life

and death. The feeling of her warm presence was keeping me connected to reality, keeping me from falling to the other side..... the colder side....

The mountain line started to be more visible against the darker front, and gradually the

mountain tips started to emerge from darkness. Darkness started to recede and vanish down the slopes and across the fields.

I put on a cotton hoodie and jumped out into the open, as if leaving a prison that I've been in for

ages. I can hardly contain myself with joy and excitement. I jumped into the fresh air and felt the

cold breeze on my face, my skin and my nose. I haven't been outside so early for a long time,

between dark and light everything looked hazy but so calm and peaceful. The gradual

transformation between dark and light, night and day, was just surreal. I closed my eyes and

slowly tilted my head backwards, talking it all in, enjoying the freshness on my whole body and

feeling the purity of morning air, the serenity of the whole setting and the birth of a new day.

The air was thin, a little cold or maybe fresh. Meadows stretched for miles to the feet of the hills,

little darkness still lingering between bushes and in ditches. Shapes are coming to life with the slowly emerging daylight.

Walking light as if carried by the little breeze, jumping between a step and the other as if weight

was not countable at this early morning, as if gravity was still dormant......

To my right a stretch of meadows, distinct shapes of planted lots draw their perimeter by the

color of different plantations, that plots them against other lots. A mosaic of colors, a painting assembled by lines and curves rising into the distance to the foot of the mountains.

After crossing a little hill the terrain started to slope down towards the river that runs across the

town. From the elevated slope I can see the swirling river crossing the planes going into the town and continuing beyond.

Soon I was at the river bank gazing at the water that was rushing down eagerly towards the

ocean. Looking across the incoming flow, white foam at the tips of elevated waves, rolls down and scatters and vanishes in the flow. Forms and shapes, hills and valleys created by parts of the elevated river bed.

Oh how much I missed the sound of the river. It always pulls me to the coffee shop that has

some tables and chairs at the river bank close to my work. where I used to enjoy a cup of coffee

while listening to the sound of the river and watching water rolling down. Transfixed by the motion and charmed by the sound, a break to the senses, and mind, as if I was hypnotized.

The town was preparing for another day cleaning people combing the streets and corners as a

mother combed the hair of her little girl after a full night's sleep. Shop owners were busy

polishing and tidying their shop fronts. Enjoying their morning ritual.

The smell of fresh bread from a distance while I am coming close to the bakery where I used to

pick up delicious bread and sweets. And there next to it at the corner, is my bank, still too early to open. I am looking forward to going back in a couple of days.

Back to normal life, back to the life that sometimes I thought was monotonous and boring, back

to the life that sometimes I thought tedious and slow. How shallow, how disgruntled I was and

unappreciative with everything that was coming to me easily and gracefully. I did not appreciate the little things that I had. I took it all for granted.

My beautiful little house that once was my parents house when they were still around. When we

were happy living together, and now it is mine, and my girlfriend's sanctuary. My sister's house

is only three blocks away with her family, her husband Ron and their beautiful daughter Ema

and Their son Steven. I cherish the moments when we get all together with my girlfriend Daisy.

In that little town where I was born and lived most of my life. My job at the bank. My friends, my

dear friends, who lightened my heart and put a smile on my face and hope that I will get over

this and come back. They put warmth in my heart and desire to be back with them again. I

missed them all. I even missed my grumpy manager, now I can appreciate him more and understand him better.

Down by the river I walked along the street of my town looking closely and attentively at

everything, appreciating it all as if I was seeing it for the first time.

I came to the end of the row of shops and the shopping area after which houses scattered across the land.

I stood and turned around looking over the river and the surrounding stretch of shops on both

sides. The little sidewalks lined up with green trees, flowers hanging from pots along the sides

with an assortment of colors, water reflecting the color of the blue sky, green trees spotting the

sidewalk around the river sides, and colored flowers along the walls, red, yellow and pink... adding accent to the whole picture.

It was a scene from a movie set in a different space, just breathtaking. Unconsciously I opened my arms wide and cried at the top of my voice.... I love my town.... For a moment my mind was fogging and my senses were dull, as if I was in a trance.. .

Oh God how happy I am that I am still here . Still alive to enjoy it all together, steadily and delightfully

Daniel S.