Fitness Over 40Something - Day Off

I did not go to the gym today. I have a cold. Back in the day I would have forced myself. This was not a hard decision for me as one might think and the reason is due to experience. In all of those hit the gym, hard push days, I went only three times with a cold. They say the smartest dog learns in five try's and the smartest one by the first. It took me three times. I was told by many that when you work out a cold will spread. It made sense. The blood pushes harder, turning the virus's mode of transportation from an old Chevy to a Amtrak at rush hour. But, of course, I did not listen the first time. The first time I lifted for 45 minutes and then finished with one hour of cardio. A cold that would have taken a day or two turned into a week. Same with the second time. The third time, the charm, turned into Bells Palsy. I was unaware I had Mono and my lovely "healthy, look at me" workout turned that Mono into Bells Palsy. Great. I learned though. I learned that it is not tough, not strong, and not smart to push when I knew I had a cold. That one day or three days that I forced my body, caused my body to shut down for weeks. I remembered, my body is separate from my mind and it tried to warn me it could not do it. I should have listened then but I am listening now. Hopefully I will be back tomorrow.