I said to a friend, “You know, I think I am going to be alright. Nothing has happened yet.” And then it happened.
Since before I can remember, I have had all manner of vaccinations. In fact, when I was school age, parents were the responsible party in charge of my immunization records. Every year in class, a notice was sent home to remind moms and dads that the required shots would be available on such and such date. To my lament, neither parent could ever find the past immunization book and so, I received all the shots again to my dismay—one in each arm.
I always knew, too, that the tetanus vaccine was the most painful as it left my arm sore for a few days. To be sure, after this week, I long for such a mild side effect.
Almost to the minute, at the eighteen-hour mark, my second COVID-19 Moderna injection woke up. I had sailed along throughout the evening and into the morning without nary a trace of problems. If anything, I was downright gleeful that I may have been spared as so many have had significant troubles.
What I can say, is that the next eighteen hours were rough with chills, fatigue, soreness, and so forth.
Before I continue, I should say I am pro-vaccine, but against legislating it to the masses. I am not dogmatic, nor am I looking for an ideological fight. I just thought it wise to say so.
With this, I am reminded that, at least for now, we all have the choice to do what we wish with our bodies, and this extends far beyond an immunization.
We can watch what we want to watch, listen to what we want to listen, eat what we wish to eat, as so on.
We have control over our thought life. We can love, hate, be intolerant, permissive, apathetic, or passionate. The choice is ours.
Certainly, there are many rules we collectively have decided to live by or, at least, have the willingness to suffer the consequences. Traffic rules are one such example.
The Apostle Paul once said, “Everything is permissible for me—but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me—but I will not be mastered by anything.”
Everything depends on what we align ourselves. If we choose to conform to certain standards that often lead to moral or ethical failings, we have done so knowing consequences. If we, on the other hand, associate ourselves with, “…what is whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable…” then we do so with a higher aim.
I received the Moderna shots not because I was told, shamed, or judged; I was immunized because I believed this to be a better pathway for continuing life.
What is the best life choice for you?
Kent Simmons is the pastor of Canyon Community Church in Kingman. He can be reached at kent@canyon-church.com.
