Ah the Holidays

 

                I feel like I’m being selfish. Both sides of my family want to get together for a holiday party. We do not, there is still an incredible amount of uncertainty about everything that is going on. On top of that we know that parts of the family either think the pandemic is overstated or refuses to vaccinate or both. One of our kids is not yet vaccinated as she is too young.

                We’re still being led to believe that we are the ones out of line for not traveling and not participating in a multi-state reunion. Even family members who closely follow science and their communities are attending/organizing.

                Family is confusing, it is amazing and drains the life out of you at the same time. I get that. Why are we made out to be the bad guys when we can’t trust the behavior of others? We know more about these people than strangers and we have taken every precaution we can when engaging strangers.

These are our family members, we are aware of what they are doing or not doing. We are vaguely aware of their day to day. That scares us to no end, but apparently we are supposed to put all of that aside and play nice and enter an enclosed space with no masks and pretend that everything is Okay.

                I question each and every time that we visit our parents, we can’t control what they do or who they see. We hope that they do the minimum and protect themselves. They can live their lives. I’m not really going to judge, I’ll be disappointed or try to educate on reality.

                There are so many factors, like caring for a family member who needs it. That is unavoidable, and there will be a changing of the guard to take care of them. Which obviously means increased exposure. That is unavoidable, but it also means that those people need to take it upon themselves to reduce any extra exposure that they can.

                We haven’t gotten that feeling. Family members are proceeding as if things are normal. Or maybe slightly modified. We don’t trust people, or anyone on a good day. Now we are expected to trust people that refuse vaccination or think that the health and safety mandates are overreaches. How can we meet that expectation?

                I totally get some concern over the vaccines as its so new. I get some concern over the transmission rate, and I get that people question the mortality rate. There are many factors in how severe this disease is. Everyone is entitled to how they respond to it, I get it. I don’t blame them. It’s their choice.

                Where I draw a line, is when we’re put in a corner where we’re anti-family because we’re weighing the risks and refusing to put our kids into unnecessary danger. My wife has gotten her third shot, my son has his 2, I need to get my act together and get my third, but our daughter is not eligible. Is it not irresponsible to expose her to this?

                I’m all for family, even if they piss me off, gathering at significant times is more than customary, it is expected. Family needs to get together, if for no reason than to let the familial slights of the year to slip off. To try and put all differences of the last year behind them.

                That simply cannot be done in the current circumstances if they don’t take the pandemic seriously. It cannot be done if they refuse to inoculate themselves to prevent the spread of disease. There is simply no trust, there is no way to coincide with these individuals.