On Consciousness

Fainting and Fallibility

Photo by Oscar Keys | Unsplash

Imagine you’re in a grocery store — your local, familiar spot with a list and plenty of time. You’re picking through the green beans when the floor drops, the earth ceases to turn, or maybe picks up speed. Your heart races, your throat tightens, a chill creeps quickly from your feet to your face. Sounds change — the common chorus of a food-shopping crowd becomes a tinny, clanging jumble…