Remember that one time I finished my huge stats final — my final class of grad school — breathed a sigh of relief, ordered a pizza for an epic celebration with Kaila, and promptly ended up in the hospital . . .
Well, today is not quite like that day. But there’s some odd congruence. Last night I finished my thesis revisions and submitted it to my advisor and graduate coordinator for approval. I breathed a sigh of relief and I made cupcakes. I planned to clean today and maybe celebrate, just a little bit. But instead the day started with a 911 call for my dear Grandpa and here I am at the hospital, keeping him company in case he wakes up. The lesson seems clear: I shouldn’t accomplish things . . . my accomplishments always end at Utah Valley hospital.
It’s been a long and tiring day to be sure, but also a good day for me. I know it’s strange to say but I’ve had some wonderful moments with both my Grandpa and Grandma today. And I like feeling that I could be of some use to them when they have done so much for me — housing me and my family for the last four years is just the tip of that iceberg. Also, I think a lot about living and dying, illness and death, partially because I’m a professional sickie and partially because I have always had octogenarian friends. And so today has been full of contemplation and realization. Dramatic events are not always fun but I confess that I sort of love the way they crowd everything else out. Unimportant things drop like flies and you are left, for a few minutes or hours or days, with just those things that really matter.
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