That Which is Important

"Almost dying changes your life forever...for about two months."
-The character of "House" on the TV show House

This is so true. I love this quote and think of it often.
Being sick has a similar effect, perhaps not quite as overwhelming. I really felt it yesterday when I went back to work after having been out for two weeks recovering from surgery. It was nice to be around people again and their well-wishes filled me with the joy of human kindness. They told me that I was missed and the reasons they were glad I was back and that made me feel valuable. Things felt comfortably old and new again all at the same time.
My internal shift was mostly apparent when a situation arose that was stressful. My normal reaction would have been to become stress but not yesterday. Yesterday I still carried with me the value of life and the appreciation for the day that being ill gives you. When stress came knocking, I found it to be silly and fought to not giggle in front of those around me that were upset. What joy it was to have this distance and perspective.
Bottom line: I had connected with That Which is Important. There was a time, when I was dying, that I lived in the world of That Which is Important and easily kept both feet on the ground with a steady head, but that has been years past. This was a sweet and familiar breeze wafting through, oh, how I had missed it. If only I could find a way to bottle the knowing and holding true to That Which is Important...I could giggle at work all day long! What fun that would be.