Reason To Be Sick

"How dreadfully old I am getting! Sixteen! Well, I don't see as I can help it." I can now truthfully quote the first line from Stepping Heavenward.
For the past week and a half I've had a cough. Mostly I've been laying on the couch. Then last Thursday my mom took me to the doctor and we found out I had pneumonia. After taking a lot of gross medicine, I am doing quite well.
Two good things seem to have come out of my pneumonia:
I believe that being sick for so long has given me a greater compassion on those who are ill. I was complaining after just several days, but I know people who've been sick for months and even years.
It's also comforting to think about how Jesus suffered for me, when I'm suffering. Reminding myself of this is awesome fact makes my slight suffering a joy. What suffering I'm having is nothing compared to His.
I can join the Green Lady from Perelandra in saying that I am so much older than I was before! [or perhaps the fact that it's my birthday adds something to that.]
'I am sixteen going on seventeen...'