Author & Photographer, After The Rain. Pop culture editor, Story Of Books. Co-founder / Creative director, Studio GLUE and imprint Story Of Books.
View all posts by Zarina Holmes
My whole family caught a bad flu during the monsoon season. We got caught in the rain several times, which had caused the infections. The fever came with a raging sore throat and high temperatures. It was hell.
There’s no cure for the flu, unfortunately, so we had to sit it out for over a week until it finally subsided.
The pain was uncomfortable, but it had a function. It made me feel present. It isn’t easy to think about the future or the past when your body is struggling to feel normal. The experience was a great reminder not to take my healthy body for granted again.
However, I find it hard to be mindful while being sick.
My mother came up with a great idea to make all of us feel better. She asked me to cut the organic lemons that I bought in slices and then add them into two jars of honey. We set the homemade remedy overnight. We took a few spoonsfuls of the honey and lemon every day to relieve the pain.
The whole exercise lifted everyone’s spirit. Soon after, our physical health returned. The honey and lemon jar looked aesthetically pleasing on the kitchen table, too.
I felt a sense of achievement in making the effort to heal myself.
After The Rain 