Worry: It's a Disease Too

Now that most of my friends and I have decided where we are going to college, there's definitely a feeling of relief.  But now, I've also been starting to think about how scary it is to be leaving home and going to a place where you have to start from scratch again with first impressions and friendships.  I was thinking about this on Saturday as I walked to the computer where my sister had been studying for an anatomy test and had left a webpage open.  Now, I usually try not to learn anything new on Saturdays, but I was intrigued by the pictures on the page.  It was on diseases of the fingernail.  They can be caused by everything from bacteria, fungi, viruses, anemia, or genetic diseases, to trauma, overexposure to water or chemicals, too-tight shoes, or acrylic nails.  These diseases could cause your nails to thicken significantly, waste away, split vertically, form little white dots or streaks, have ridges or waves, crumble, trap blood underneath, or have skin growing on top of them.  Here is an example:
 

Psoriasis of the nails is characterized by raw, scaly skin.  When it attacks the nail plate, it will leave it pitted, dry, and it will often crumble.  The plate may separate from the nail bed and may also appear red, orange or brown, with red spots in the lunula. Psoriasis is a very common condition, usually occurring in people with a weakened immune system. The disorder may affect people of any age.  http://www.hooked-on-nails.com/naildisorders.html

It made me realize that a lot of bad things can happen to your fingernails.  I wasn't even aware that I should be worried about them contracting a disease.  But I also don't think anyone should fret too much about it.  After all, it's usually not something you can control.  Most people don't smash their fingers with a hammer on purpose.  Like worrying about college, it's not a very good use of your time.  There's always the possibility that things will go wrong, but if you fretted about them all, you'd never have time to be happy.  I'm so much happier when I appreciate what isn't wrong.  At least my fingernails are healthy.