to live or survive...

These past two days I pushed through an uncharacteristic headache. Dull, insipid, nauseating. Tonight, it finally broke like a fever. I realized, sadly, in cold sweat, that I had... over indulged...

I know. I know! I who pride myself on temperance. On moderation. Rigorous self-denial even!! I had allowed myself the little-bit-too-much. An excess of that most favored substance. Stress.

I always keep it closely guarded, in the chest, in a flask all to itself, expressly for the -purpose of preserving every heated drop. The well-meaning have on more than one occasion told me, with much trepidation and cautious sympathy, that Stress is a pretentious placebic capsule, harboring no benefit nor delivering any purported exploits. Useless as a phantom limb.

But I nevertheless guard my supply carefully, even at night. I grind my teeth to ward off would be intruders, and hoard it close to my pillow, because one never knows who or what might be trying to come between me, and my Stress.

08.03.2023

what things do you feel make you live and what don't? challenge @Fernanda25