Friday, April 11, 2008

The Dark Side of Fertility



It warmed up yesterday, and the sun even came out for a little while (the weather has been chilly, drab and gloomy so far this spring.)

Along with the warmth and sunshine came the first wave of tree pollen. Initially you can't even see it (later it will coat windshields and gather in cracks in the sidewalks and roads). Even though it's still invisible, people are feeling it. Suddenly everyone is inexplicably tired. Under the initial assault of pollen, the body feels thick and heavy, mysteriously saturated. The running eyes and sneezing, etc. will follow in a few days.

Pollen is the stuff of life, the seed that makes possible the green lushness of the midatlantic landscape in summer. In my mind, I am pro-pollen all the way. Why, oh why is it, then, that my body receives spring pollen as if it was a wall of dark energy? Pollen can not and will not rip me apart the way dark energy is ripping the universe apart, but my body believes it will.

Speaking directly to my body this morning, I'm asking, what's the threat? What? As always, there is no response except a sudden need to blow my nose. Same as it ever was. Oh yeah!

Happy spring - I guess!

8 comments:

Deborah said...

Fertility has always had a dark side for me too--life comes at some cost--life which has come from my body DID nearly rip it apart--pollen just reminds me,
life comes at a cost

LOVE the photo.

Tovah flew out last night amidst tornado warnings and severe thunderstorms, our basement leak is back, my car is soaking wet cause I left the sun roof open, I didn't sleep. . .

Yeppers, Happy Spring from the Midwest.

Steve Reed said...

Achoo! :)

(I have the same problem!)

mouse (aka kimy) said...

up until this year I have been spared the effects of pollen; however, last night I had a sneezing fit - generally I never sneeze more than two healthy (e.g. loud) sneezes at a time - last night I had 8 in a row.

I hope this isn't the beginning of going down the slippery slope of having allergies.....

on the other side, if I do develop allergies, undoubtedly I will become more empathetic to the plight of others like f, who suffers terribly every spring and fall ....not to mention the animal dander issues he's confronted with on a daily basis. but life without cats and dogs, could you say it is living?

AAAAACHOOO!

Reya Mellicker said...

The acupuncture, and especially the "grassy brew" that I'm drinking and wrapping in washcloths to lay across my eyes, is REALLY helping. I'm not extremely symptomatic, which is really astonishing! Just today, the pollen began collecting on windshield. It must be pouring down.

What occurred to me on the way home is that maybe the best thing to do at this time of year is accept that fact that right now, the landscape is all about the trees and grasses. Maybe as a human I should back off and allow some space for the other species to do their thing.

The problem is, I'm expected to carry on as usual. And, too, there are no bugs yet but it's warm and gardens are overflowing with flowers. It's so hard not to get out into it ... thinking about it makes me want to sneeze!

Time for another cup of herb tea!

Gezundheit!!

dennis said...

Dennis wishes you well and really likes the photo there's a big Claw in it!

lettuce said...

happy spring reya - wishing you clearer sinuses

lettuce said...

PS <20 days!

R.L. Bourges said...

plants vs humans - yes, clearly there are agenda
(t) issues