“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”

– Benjamin Franklin

Introduction

I have to confess. I have been more than a little annoyed lately.

Being Sick as an Adult

The trigger was my son falling desperately ill. Any mother can tell you that our protective instincts kick in to high gear when our children are at risk.

But, the thing is that my son is an adult now and despite being a relatively healthy young adult, he became desperately sick. It is not Covid-19. He was vaccinated for that. As a mother with 2 adult sons, I have not ever shunned vaccines and anything that could shield my children from getting sick.

But when they go out into the world as adults, they have to deal with the conduct of others.

Neighborly Love and Sickness

But I digress. I need to express my opinion here. I have bottled up my opinions on this subject for too long. While I am a fairly religious person, I believe that science exists to help us to help ourselves. So we need to do the needful to protect ourselves and others against increasingly potent germs.

I also believe that any freedom we wish to exercise must be tempered with a considerate and caring spirit for the welfare of others. We cannot be brash and selfish. We must show neighborly love.

This love we speak of is just that. Love and care. Not wanting to see others come to harm.

I myself am slightly immunocompromised. So, I have done my best ‘not to get in the way’ of others who must be out and about unvaccinated and unmasked. I have done what I can to help myself. So, I am fine.

Accountable to our Neighbor

But here’s the thing.

A sickly person’s family members can still bring home germs from the outside world. And infect them. The severely immunocompromised can get so horribly sick that they cannot function for awhile.

Because we didn’t mask up or stay at home when we were sick. We spread germs to those family members.

Imagine all the people out there who are very severely immunocompromised. People who are old or those with cancer and other serious conditions. An infection can potentially immobilize them for months.

Yes, maybe even kill them.

Love for Neighbor

How do we sleep at night knowing what we have done?

How can we have that on our conscience when we are the cause of such devastating consequences? Do we delight in the suffering of others?https://wp.me/pc7lFV-1Nw

We need to examine our vice of selfishness.

I think at the end of the day we are accountable not only to ourselves but others too. It is an act of kindness and brotherly love to not think only of ourselves. “Let all that you do be done in love.” says 1 Corinthians 16:14, the Bible.

Conclusion

So yes, to the person who decided that their preference for exposing others to what we know now are increasingly harmful and potent germs, I say, “Maybe you are a little selfish. Maybe you need to walk the talk because actions speak louder than words.”

We need to look at ourselves in the mirror and resolve to do better.