I hear you, Wes, I think you are right to see the pandemic as a serious threat, but I find it hard to balance two years of pandemic with my desire to be close to my loved ones. Be assured that I did not take this decision lightly, and I hope we can discuss this further. Also, happy birthday, and thanks for taking the time to write this!

I hope this does not sound like a rant from a pessimist & fear monger. I understand the need to live in this world with all its dangers. Threats of war, disease, terror attack, and just plain failure of society will always be a threat somewhere in the world. Sometimes it will be in our power to avoid obvious threats. I’m simply suggesting a balance: where we can see an obvious threat we.need to be patient & act wisely. If we are running to escape violence, to avoid a war zone, or to evacuate from a natural disaster, then patience is hardly an option. I view the pandemic as a daily threat for all of us. The threat is changing as is our ability to respond. We are lucky to have tools not available to past societies during their pandemics. Patience and wisdom should inform our decisions.