Journal: Thursday, May 4, 2006

I’m going into the hospital tomorrow for some minor surgery, and, amazingly, I’m sort of looking forward to it. I guess I’m thinking of it as another adventure in my adventurous life. Each day, I embark on countless adventures as I teach my classes, talk with friends and strangers, see new sights, and think new thoughts, and tomorrow will simply be another interesting voyage into the unknown. Indeed, it’s completely unknown territory for me, not having had surgery in decades and rarely having been inside a hospital. Some people will be embarking on strange adventures tomorrow by starting off on safaris or beginning a new job; I will begin my journey by walking into Westerly Hospital at 6:30 a.m. Actually, I’m feeling oddly strong and relaxed about the whole thing. I know I belong to a universe that always does the right thing for itself and all of its parts, so I’m confident things will happen as they should. I’m sure I’ll be taken care of and the results will be the best ones for me and everyone involved. I’m also sure that I won’t be alone. At the same time as I’m undergoing my procedure, literally millions of other people around the world will be going through challenging, and perhaps scary, experiences. While I’m experiencing this fairly routine medical treatment, countless others will be enduring far more difficult circumstances. I’ll think of them tomorrow morning. Perhaps we can mentally join hands and get through our adventures together.