Comparing

I forgot my password for the blog and things have been so busy that I just didn't have the time or headspace to deal with it. 

In a nutshell, work has been non-stop; Pesach preps have come and gone; Pesach itself was lovely. Things have been going well otherwise. I'll post a detailed update once I have time to get it all down. 

There was a story I wanted to talk about when it was fresh in the news. Anyone how knows me knows I watch the TODAY show regularly (ever since the whole Ann Curry debacle #teamann but that's another story). Dylan Dreyer is one of the meteorologists and she's fab. I follow both her and her husband, who's a cameraman on Nightly News, on insta. They're lovely people and it seems like they have it all. 

Recently she opened up about her struggle with secondary infertility. When she and her husband talked about it together on the show, something they said really resonated: "Pain is pain, joy is joy." The same morning they talked about their fertility issues, another cast member announced her pregnancy with her surprise, unexpected third baby. Dylan and her husband were clear that another person's joy is their joy, and their pain is their pain. One doesn't take away from the other. You can be happy for someone else's joy while still feeling your own feelings. At the same time, no one needs to compare one pain to another. If one lady had three miscarriages it doesn't disqualify someone who had "only" one. Each person is entitled to their own feelings. We're here to lend support to one another and that's the part that matters.

Vaccines

The measles outbreak is complete insanity. There is absolutely no religious reason preventing anyone from receiving these life-saving immunizations. Anyone stating that they don't vaccinate because of religious restrictions is confused and mistaken.

The Orthodox Union has stated: "There are halachic (Jewish law) obligations to care for one’s own health as well as to take measures to prevent harm and illness to others, and Jewish law defers to the consensus of medical experts in determining and prescribing appropriate medical responses to illness and prevention."

I'm usually fairly polite and diplomatic when my opinion differs from others. When it comes to matters like this there is no gray area and it infuriates me that people still believe the bogus claims against vaccinations. It's black and white: everyone who can should be vaccinated. There's no buts. There's no maybe. If your child is healthy and old enough, they should be getting the shots on time. If you're concerned about potential risks, seek therapy to get you through your anxiety but vaccinate your child in the meantime.

There are too many immuno-compromised, ill, too young, and old people who are not protected. If you don't vaccinate, you're putting everyone else at risk. If you don't believe in vaccinations, I can't deal with your type of crazy and I make sure to stay far away.

People have become too open-minded and it's taken a toll on the most vulnerable in our community. Enough is enough! If you've been blessed with children you should do everything you can to protect them against harm and part of your responsibility to protect them against preventable diseases.