Half-Vaccinated
You know those cards everyone’s been posting on social media to let you know that they’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19? Well, I have one of those cards now. Really. I never thought I’d see the day, but it actually happened!
Last week, I was fortunate enough to secure an appointment at a local health center and receive the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. The process was quick and smooth, I missed less than an hour of work, and the only side effect was a bit of soreness in my upper arm for about a day. Hardly even an inconvenience.
And in exchange, I’m on my way to being much less vulnerable to this awful virus; to say I’m relieved would be an understatement. I’m also proud to be doing my small part to get this pandemic under control.
In addition to the relief I’m feeling for myself, it’s also great to see my loved ones less at risk. Katherine’s had both doses of the vaccine. Several of our family members have gotten their shots in recent weeks. It seems like things are moving in the right direction, and I can feel the mental weight of living through a pandemic lifting ever so slightly.
But it’s not over yet.
We all have friends and family who are still waiting their turn get the shot. Isolation and financial instability are rampant. Many are still suffering from the disease and its disastrous effects on their bodies, while others are reeling from the tremendous loss they’ve experienced at the hands of the coronavirus. We are still very much in this.
I’m only half-vaccinated, which leaves me in an in-between state. I’ve gotten a taste of the promised solution, but its true fulfillment is yet to come for me. That’s where a lot of us are right now.
We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we don’t yet know how far away that light may be. The truth is that it’s up to us.
We have the tools and the knowledge we need. Now all we have to do is use our better judgment, practice patience, and stick together until we’ve seen this thing through.
We can’t mistake progress for total victory, nor can we allow our relief to turn into complacency. We are getting closer to the end goal, but we have a way to go. There is still work to be done.
Being comfortable in the in-between is not easy, but it’s a lot better than the alternative. So I suggest we lean into it. It’s my hope that we can fully enjoy this breath of fresh air while also recognizing that we have to keep working until everyone can breathe easy again.
Let’s see each other through this, friends. I know that we can do it! I’m proud of how far we’ve come and hopeful that we’ll all do what it takes to finish the job.
Thanks for reading. Talk again soon!