Everyone who is born holds dual citizenship, in the kingdom of the well and in the kingdom of the sick. Although we all prefer to use only the good passport, sooner or later each of us is obliged, at least for a spell, to identify ourselves as citizens of that other place.
–Susan Sontag, Illness as Metaphor, 1977
A Mindful Life / Kathryn Harper
express : discover : renew : create
Wow. I should read this book. Did you see Annie Leibovitz’s newest books with the photos of Susan as she faded? Sigh.
I’ve always felt separated from the world when I was sick (and I’ve luckily never had a serious illness). I know some of it is just because a stuffy head makes is like a “shell,” but some of it is emotional. Ms. Sontag hit the nail on the head.
Fran, I didn’t see the book, though I did read the article in Newsweek that featured some of the photos.
Gerry, that’s what appealed to me about the quote — it speaks to the emotional effect of being unwell. Lately that’s how I’ve been feeling, like a citizen from another country, since I’ve been under the weather.