The last week and a half has been a unique period of life. Strangely, this seemingly arbitrary time frame is quite prominently delineated in my recent memory and awareness. Allow me to put together the pieces.

I fell somewhat ill a few weeks ago, with very unpleasant headaches and nausea. I am a fairly healthy person most of the time, probably due to my recent efforts at eating well. However, the ever-increasing struggle to continue persisting with mundane Uni study did not combine well with a couple of late nights and this concurrent health dip. The late sleep took my body clock forward with it by approximately two hours. I find that I am more intellectually alive at 10pm than 2pm, so this nocturnity quickly worsened an already loose circadian rhythm and became an unwanted jet-lag, only without the Kodak moments to sweeten the bitter.

However much we attempt to deny it, our daily activities have a tendency to define a large proportion of our identity. With Uni going so slowly and unthrillingly, I became mired in it and suffered a great deal of transference.

Circumstances fell together like reverse footage of spilled rice, presenting me the chance to watch “V for Vendetta”, starring Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman, a number of times within a fortnight. I tell you, it is an excellent presentation of the dystopian/utopian dichotomy. Weaving is fabulous as V – to perform the masked role for film and still have the audio come through clearly he had to subsequently overdub every line, evidencing consummate skill and evoking intense emotion. Portman doesn’t disappoint us either, with a convincing and clever return to edgy film making. I benefited from this film’s intellectualism and open morality, because it meant I had to actually do some introspection of my own. Vivified, indeed.

In that movie there is a moment when V stands before a jukebox, and Cat Power’s haunting cover of “Found a Reason” begins to play. This beautiful music struck a chord with my melancholic side, pushing my emotional banality past the vice of my situation and reminding me that intense romanticism and healthy expansive emotionalism is still possible.

During the middle of my recent dark time I went away to Mylor with the Clovercrest and Para Vista Lutheran young adults, for a Getaway weekend. I gave myself the freedom to ignore all outstanding work and stress, and, being charged with the task, instead focused on setting up a high-quality musical, technical and ultimately worshipful production. And while I was busy with leadership and music, my keenest priority for this weekend was to escape from it all and centre myself. The opportunity to play keys and sing just to attempt to express part of my faith in God was a great one. Can’t put it into words. However, I was able to put into words some of my reflections on life and the status quo. I came away from that weekend feeling incredibly refreshed and uplifted.

Still, Uni was still incorrigible and still, I was still not 100% on my game. Something was amiss, and I was under a cloud for two weeks following.

This obstinately optimistic fixator could have told you before it all went downhill that things always improve. Well, that they did. My health began restoring itself, my mind clearing more and more each day. And then like a change of season, but over two days, everything became clear, as crystal.

On Saturday night I went with a group of great friends to a formal ball at Blackwood Hills Baptist Church, entitled “Moves and Grooves”. We danced! This evening presented a perfect relaxation opportunity – such fun to share such fun with high quality people, and to do something a little uncommon. With the conclusion of that night came the conclusion of my ill feeling and the beginning of an unravelling understanding of the immediate future and the excitement it holds.

It’s clear as crystal – things always improve. Only now, things are already so good that any improvement will be out of this world. I can’t wait.