Kafka's vile insect

I remembered "Der Verwandlung" by Franz Kafka usually called "The Metamorphosis" but I think the better translation is "A change for the worse". Many people think the insect Gregor morphs into was a cockroach. But Kafka never names the insect except it was vile and died at the end to the relief of even his family.

I hated the story and never looked at it except for course work. It made me feel sick.

Somehow I remembered the story this morning while climbing up to Robinson Road. I thought about how after my incarceration, illness and other mishaps of the past few years got me used to survival mode. To make the best of what felt like calamity sometimes, I learned to scurry under the floor boards to avoid danger and confrontation. I guess like a cockroach...

Dreams, passion and romance were all but forgotten for myself and existed only in movies or books. Somehow, during my long 6 month wait for my foot to recover, I changed back to someone stronger, more motivated, sensitive and with a new vision of friendship and work: "Meine Verbesserung." My improvement back to hope and humanity.