About This Project

Today seemed like a good day to start putting down in writing what is swirling around in my head. I’m starting to lean into the whole “resurfacing” back into society process as it is obvious that we are indeed going back to some semblance of normal.

Like it or not, we’re going.

And we’re going with our vaccinated friends and families. We’re going to friends and family-related events, sports and outdoor activities. Across all of my social media platforms, friends are sharing pictures of their vaccination cards or of getting the poke itself. Personally, I find the information good to know.  The vaccine is giving us the opportunity to get back together again. Quicker with less fear.

The vaccine card appears to be the Ticket to Freedom after an extremely challenging year.

Taking the vaccine is a choice. For me, it’s similar to wearing a mask. You take or wear it to best halt the virus with the main goal being life resuming normally again. If Covid is raging all of the time, it will always be an issue. It’s not one or all. You take the vaccine to protect yourself, but mostly for the team. It’s layered.

I have scrutinized vaccine safety myself. Back in 2001, after my first child was born, I was horrified by the amount of vaccine that was given to a newborn. We did it anyway because that’s what young, uninformed parents did and still do. After he later presented with a speech delay, we put the brakes his vaccination schedule as well as his soon-to-be younger brother.

Upon the decision, we were let go by our first pediatrician. We eventually found a doctor that would accept our family and help us navigate through vaccination protocol. I questioned it all. My father and I spent hours talking about vaccine efficacy, which vaccines we should do, which diseases had been eradicated. I was anxious about all of it and I was convinced that vaccines could have played a role in his speech delay. Life went on, both sons grew big and strong, developed normally (if that is even possible) and eventually got caught up with most of the state-mandated vaccines that were required to go to school.

It wasn’t until the controversy surrounding the Covid vaccine did I have to face the hard fact that I had relied on others to immunize their children on the recommended schedules. In them doing so, my children reaped the benefits of the herd immunity it provided. Immunity that we hear so much about in the news cycle these days. We are living in a world that has eliminated polio and small pox because people were willing to take the vaccine. I can’t get started on the courageous recipients that took those first doses of Phizer, Moderna, J&J. Those people are the brave ones. I’m deeply grateful for all who have had the courage to make a difference for others.

As of today, our entire family is either fully vaccinated or on the way to being fully vaccinated. Except for our youngest who doesn’t qualify until summer. Twenty years ago, would have I vaccinated them for Covid if it were approved? Absolutely, yes. Until then, we do it for those that aren’t able and to stop a virus that has had much more of an impact than just making people physically ill. So what’s my why? My why is to do my part to help make it stop. To do my little part in solving a global problem.