"Sick" Days

I will be the first to admit it. I sometimes take "sick" days when I am not technically "sick". Some days I take a day off, cuz I am exhausted or simply cannot face reality once I wake up in the morning. Today was one of those days. My mom always told me that if I sleep a long time, my body must have needed it. I did not go into work today, cuz when I woke up, I was not ready to be awake. I called in, and I ended up sleeping 12 hours. I must have needed it. A few thoughts on "sick" days. I know when my body or mind is not fit to work on a particular day. No one else can make that determination, no matter how much "power" they hold over me, and no matter how much I need their signature on my paycheck. I will make the decision to call in. True, I have no "sick" days left to take, thus I will be docked for it @ work. I guess it is a small price to pay for my precious sanity. My mother used to give me about 1 day a semester when I was in school, where she would call me in "sick", just cuz I did not "feel like it". One of her most understanding, kind moves as a mother. I have decided that, when I look back on my life, will it really make a big difference that I took this day off to relax? No, it will not. What I dislike, is the evening before a return to work. There is always the chance of your boss making a big stink (especially when I have no days to take), and the questions from co workers, "How ya feelin'?" Sometimes I want to come out and say, "I wasn't vomiting, I did not have a sore throat, I just could not face you, our bosses, the people on the other end of the phone line, or the traffic today. Do you have a problem w/ that?" Without fail, the evening of a "sick" day off, leaves me w/ pangs of guilt. I am only relieved once I get to work the next morning and I deal w/ possible emails and questions. Til then, worry wart me, keeps the stomach juices churning and the butterfly wings flapping. Wouldn't it just be better to have no day job at all? I think so.