Volume 16, Number 5
October 13, 2009





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This Week




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alev dešimLife is beautiful, Carpe Diem!

Last week, something flew into my left eye, and as a sudden reaction, I wanted to get it out with my fingers. Oh, I shouldn't have done that-it became worse. I tried to open my eye to see if there was really something in it, but I couldn't see anything. I rinsed it with water but to no avail. Every time I wanted to open my eye, it filled with tears and those tears hurt me in a way I've never ever experienced before. The only possible option seemed for me to go to the health center on campus. Since it was towards the evening, only doctors in emergency care were available, and they couldn't find anything wrong with my eye either.  Nevertheless, they wanted to wash it with a water tube. You can guess, it soaked my face and hair too. Thoughts flew around in my brain: 'More efficient methods must have been developed in such a technological century.' Luckily, after so many hours as it seemed to me, the washing period ended, and after an eye drop to sooth it, the doctor wanted me to go to hospital since my eye continued to ache when I tried to open it. My pigheaded nature! My misplaced belief that the doctors wouldn't be of further help, along with the fact that I didn't have the strength to walk any further with one eye, led me not to heed the doctor's advice.  Coming back to the dorm, I tried to lay down for a bit. It was around 5 p.m. when whatever the thing was had flown into my eye. Unfortunately after three hours or so the situation was still the same.

mugeIt's known that 'time flies when you're having fun.' However, those 5 hours until 10 p.m. seemed to me like years. I prayed to sleep at once so that I wouldn't be able to think the worst. Tomorrow, I must give the internship report in person, but what if I had to go to the hospital tomorrow morning and not be able to catch the assigned time? What about tomorrow's lessons? What if I can't open my eye again?  Strangely, I thought of Virginia Woolf who is known as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century, experimenting with the technique of stream-of-consciousness in English literature. Our conditions are apples and oranges, I know; and yet, how could she bear staying away from all the mental activities during her recurrent depressive periods? How much torturous it must be! Thank, God-when I got up from bed the next morning, there was no pain in my eye, but bacteria had caused it to swell. After a few days it completely healed with the help of eye drops. Thanks to all my dormitory friends who took care of me throughout such painful hours and for that tea dressing.

Sometimes life passes in such a hurry that I don't appreciate the good things I have.  I feel blue for the things of not much importance. And besides, it's human nature that there is no end to our desires.

Meanwhile, I love autumn as much as spring. To be able to see leaves falling and all their colors from yellow to red, brown, even orange making a huge carpet on which you step is so nice.  It's the season of artists; capturing its beauty in paintings or even composing music about it. Life is so beautiful with all the things already at hand if one can look through rose colored glasses. Followers of me will say the weekly affirmations are on the way. But am I wrong?

By Müge Tekin (IE/IV)


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