During These Difficult Times
As I rose at the crack of dawn this morning, I picked up my phone, called the doctor's office and canceled my 8am appointment. What was my reason? I was tired and wanted to sleep in longer. Yet, in the back of my mind this goofy fear that someone might have Ebola crept in and satisfied my rationale behind cancelling the appointment. Well, within 5 minutes, it was apparent that sleep would not be returning, so I found myself cancelling my cancellation to the office's voicemail.
I'm a natural germ-a-phobe. Always have been. Particularly for the throwing up bugs. I developed severe anxieties as a child and wouldn't even leave my house for fears that I might feel sick wherever I would go. In fact, one of my most trying times was about a year into my marriage. Cindy fell ill and, well, lost her lunch in the toilet. As much as I felt bad for her, I couldn't bring myself to say anything sympathetic. The only thing that came out was "You're cleaning that!" I then realized my predicament... I had nowhere to hide! I lived in a studio apartment and there was no way I was getting away from my sick wife! That still didn't stop me from sleeping on the futon at the foot of our bed, tightly tucked beneath a spare comforter.
All of this serves to give you an idea of how this whole Ebola thing could freak me out. Yes, the thought crossed my mind this morning, but it didn't stop me from seeing the doctor. In actuality, I'm not too worried about Ebola. On the contrary, I've been consumed by the realization that in difficult times such as these, we ought to be praying and supporting those affected by the disease rather than cloistering away in our homes, forbidding handshakes, and dusting everything with a bottle of Lysol.
When you think about it, to spend all of your time on Facebook reading the latest pseudo-news on the subject, or even watching TV critiquing politicians and hospitals for their supposed ineptness of the situation, you really are acting immature and selfish. Yes, there should be a natural concern for when these difficult times face us, but let's not be so egocentric. I am thankful for the nurses, soldiers, and flight attendants who are at ground zero, fortunately and unfortunately dealing with this thing.
In all honesty, if most of these people acted like many people I know, they would have abandoned their posts at the possibility of coming into contact with the disease. What if we actually acted like that? What if all the doctors, nurses, pilots, flight attendants, and soldiers abdicated their profession for fear of contracting the illness? That would be incredibly selfish wouldn't it? No one would advocate such behavior. Yet, by the chatter of the TV fear mongers and social media, such behavior seems to be popular opinion.
For such cause, I am deeply grateful for those who are standing their ground, even when it puts them on the front line. I will be honest. I probably won't go running to Africa, waving an American flag, with a box of Kleenex, handing out micro-loans to all the now-be orphans. However, I will hope that as times as these pass by our midst we would not be so selfish as to live in fear, focusing only on ourselves. Instead, I hope we can get past ourselves and find a way to support the victims of this tragedy. Yes, tragedy... Just like the ones we rally entire clean up campaigns to, as conglomerates shine in the limelight with their thoughtful donations of clean water and relief.
I haven't seen any of this. Instead, we as a nation have been gripped by fear and have become woefully introspective. There is not much I can do, but hope to stem the tide of this selfishness and immaturity by calling it out. Let's show some love to these people who are hurting during these difficult times. Write the families a letter. Send them a gift card. Get behind some of those organizations helping in Africa. Who knows, you may get over yourself and ease your anxiety a bit.
Donate to Doctors Without Borders
WorldVision Ebola Relief
Samaritan's Purse Ebola Relief
I'm a natural germ-a-phobe. Always have been. Particularly for the throwing up bugs. I developed severe anxieties as a child and wouldn't even leave my house for fears that I might feel sick wherever I would go. In fact, one of my most trying times was about a year into my marriage. Cindy fell ill and, well, lost her lunch in the toilet. As much as I felt bad for her, I couldn't bring myself to say anything sympathetic. The only thing that came out was "You're cleaning that!" I then realized my predicament... I had nowhere to hide! I lived in a studio apartment and there was no way I was getting away from my sick wife! That still didn't stop me from sleeping on the futon at the foot of our bed, tightly tucked beneath a spare comforter.
All of this serves to give you an idea of how this whole Ebola thing could freak me out. Yes, the thought crossed my mind this morning, but it didn't stop me from seeing the doctor. In actuality, I'm not too worried about Ebola. On the contrary, I've been consumed by the realization that in difficult times such as these, we ought to be praying and supporting those affected by the disease rather than cloistering away in our homes, forbidding handshakes, and dusting everything with a bottle of Lysol.
When you think about it, to spend all of your time on Facebook reading the latest pseudo-news on the subject, or even watching TV critiquing politicians and hospitals for their supposed ineptness of the situation, you really are acting immature and selfish. Yes, there should be a natural concern for when these difficult times face us, but let's not be so egocentric. I am thankful for the nurses, soldiers, and flight attendants who are at ground zero, fortunately and unfortunately dealing with this thing.
In all honesty, if most of these people acted like many people I know, they would have abandoned their posts at the possibility of coming into contact with the disease. What if we actually acted like that? What if all the doctors, nurses, pilots, flight attendants, and soldiers abdicated their profession for fear of contracting the illness? That would be incredibly selfish wouldn't it? No one would advocate such behavior. Yet, by the chatter of the TV fear mongers and social media, such behavior seems to be popular opinion.
For such cause, I am deeply grateful for those who are standing their ground, even when it puts them on the front line. I will be honest. I probably won't go running to Africa, waving an American flag, with a box of Kleenex, handing out micro-loans to all the now-be orphans. However, I will hope that as times as these pass by our midst we would not be so selfish as to live in fear, focusing only on ourselves. Instead, I hope we can get past ourselves and find a way to support the victims of this tragedy. Yes, tragedy... Just like the ones we rally entire clean up campaigns to, as conglomerates shine in the limelight with their thoughtful donations of clean water and relief.
I haven't seen any of this. Instead, we as a nation have been gripped by fear and have become woefully introspective. There is not much I can do, but hope to stem the tide of this selfishness and immaturity by calling it out. Let's show some love to these people who are hurting during these difficult times. Write the families a letter. Send them a gift card. Get behind some of those organizations helping in Africa. Who knows, you may get over yourself and ease your anxiety a bit.
Donate to Doctors Without Borders
WorldVision Ebola Relief
Samaritan's Purse Ebola Relief
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