Essays

I am very careful about my health. I take my meals regularly and exercise daily. It is rare that I fall ill. I do not like sickness but it does not care for your likes and dislikes. For me sickness means being idle and lonely. I realized it only a few days back when I fell ill.

I remember that evening when it rained heavily and together with my two friends I went outside. Despite my mother's advise not to get wet, we stayed outside talking, laughing and enjoying the cool weather. We continued to play in the rain till it was very dark and my friends had to leave.

Next day I got up unusually early. When I tried to move out of the bed I felt dizzy. My head ached and I felt restless. I pushed aside the blanket I had covered myself with, and tried to sleep again.

After some time when my mother came to wake me, as she does every morning, I did not feel like "getting up. She touched my forehead and found it to be warm as I was in the grip of fever.

She checked’ my temperature and found that the

mercury thread of the thermometre was

touching 101°F.

I could not go to the school. I was happy to miss my maths test as .1 did not study for it. My father phoned the Principal and informed him about my illness and failure to attend the classes.

A doctor was called. He prescribed some tablets and told me not to move out of the bed that day. The tablet tasted bitter and the worst was when it got stuck and dissolved in the mouth itself. I ate my breakfast in bed. My sister brought milk and toast for me. As I was supposed to take complete rest no one stayed in my room for long.

I was left alone so that I could sleep undisturbed. I felt even more restless and could not sleep. I wished that I get well within seconds so that I can join the others. To add more to my bad state my favourite cousin came unexpectedly. He had come to invite me to join his friends. They were going on a picnic. He teased me, though lovingly, that I fell ill only to miss a great day. I could do nothing except curse my illness quite liberally. During lunch hour I had to do with porridge while others enjoyed the usual meal. How much I envied them! They came to enquire about any improvement and for a while I felt myself important. I had begun to realize what it really meant to be sick.

Even during the evening I was confined to bed while my friends played outside. Finally I made up my mind, sickness or no sickness, there shall be no other day in bed for me.

It was porridge again for my dinner but I felt better. The medicines showed their effect and luckily my fever came down. I was happy again.

Next day I was all by myself but I had learnt a lesson. I shall take every care not to fall ill ever again and obey the elders.