A Foretaste Of My Deathbed

Last fall I came down with a flu-like illness while staying at a monastery. It lasted for two weeks. It turned out to be the worst acute illness I’ve ever experienced, and months later I still have lingering deficiencies with my physical stamina. Armed with the faith, I was able to put the illness into spiritual context, instead of blaming bad luck as I would have before.

The initial symptoms of the illness were like the flu: I felt as if I had been hit by a Canadian truck. My lower back and leg...