Teacher Tom: I Am Not Afraid; I Am Afraid

Teacher Tom: I Am Not Afraid; I Am Afraid

I Am Not Afraid; I Am Afraid

I'm not afraid of this virus. I'll either get it or I won't. My immune system will either fight it off or it won't. It's like every other virus in that sense. I'm practicing social distancing, staying home, and washing my hands because that's what we're doing to keep our healthcare system from being overrun, but I'm comfortable with the fact that I will one day slip up, or someone close to me will slip up, and I'll contract the highly contagious illness that goes with it. There's even a decent chance I've already survived it given all the travel I did between December and March and the fact that this virus is as likely to reveal itself through symptoms as not. There are a handful of doctors, nurses, and even some infectious disease specialists in my social circle and every one of them privately confirms my assumptions, with the caveat that there's a slim chance that I get lucky enough to dodge it for a couple years until a vaccine is developed and deployed.

Mine isn't a manufactured fearlessness, one to wear like armor against anxiety. I'm genuinely unconcerned about this virus and I've been genuinely unconcerned about all viruses during my entire career as a preschool teacher. I've always washed my hands and taken other common sense CONTINUE READING: Teacher Tom: I Am Not Afraid; I Am Afraid