Taking Advantage: Using What You Can, When You Can as a Writer

          I have a problem that I'm still coming to terms with. As much as it would excite me to tell you all it's a cliche drinking problem, it's actually handling the unknown.
          When looked at, one of the biggest fears people carry is the unknown. Death, God, monsters, promotions, relationships; these are all things that scare us in some way or have scared us since we were children.
          This week, I've missed two days of work and class, something that hasn't happened since the start of the semester, and the second time that anything similar has happened throughout my working and college careers. For some, taking a day off for illness or leisure is something the body and soul need, but to me, it's something that I feel changes me as a employee and student.
          I woke up at six A.M., day one, and walked to the bathroom to brush my teeth. For the next twenty minutes, I emptied my body out of every fluid or solid that it had. From there, I fell into shakes, more heaves, and even seconds of sleep. I was infected with a stomach bug, yet I felt as though I was part of the movie Contagion. On day two, I felt better, but I had to call out; I knew that if I didn't, there was a chance that I could infect those around me and possibly make my situation worse. I felt terrible. At that point, I knew I had to do something.
          In order to make myself feel valuable to the human race, I wrote and did homework. Following homework, I wrote more. The muse, if one believes in it, kicked in, and I poured out pages of short pieces and brainstorming exercises. The unknown was still terrifying to me, but I let my situation handle itself and push me into a new direction that helped me in more than one way.
          We have to go with what life, God, or E. coli gives us. Situations are bad--they always are--but it's how we handle the situation that makes us who we are and changes what comes of the situation. Had I gone to work and class, things could've gone wrong, and the thought of staying home terrified me because I didn't know what would happen. But I decided to take the scariest direction, and it worked out by me being honest and knowing what I have to give.
          But man, the stomach flu sucks.