This is Addison at the Lincoln Park Zoo, where he had a fantastic time with his aunt Jocelyn. This blog has nothing to do with Addison, the zoo, or Jocelyn, but it seemed like a good picture to start with.So I was thinking about allergies today, why they exist. An allergy is just your body being paranoid. Something harmless enters your body and then your body overreacts, freaks out, and starts puffing, clogging, and leaking. That got me to thinking . . . maybe paranoia is just a social allergy.
Physically, I'm allergic to cats and various other pet hair. Socially, I'm allergic to large crowds of strangers, discussions about skin infections, phone calls, and outspoken people. In all of those situations, I experience difficulty breathing, fatigue . . . sometimes itchy, watery eyes.
I don't know about cats, but most pets are harmless. I should certainly be able to deal with crowds, let's-talk-about-my-fungus people, the phone, and know-it-alls. But I still find myself being overcome with needless anxiety over these things. Maybe I can't help it. Maybe it's just a physiological reaction. Maybe I could take a pill that would make me slightly drowsy but less troubled. Maybe I think too much. Maybe I could delete that last maybe. Probably.
