I'm Probably a Cynic

It is save for me to now openly express my feelings about Swine Flu. Tonight I heard that schools will be reopening tomorrow because they have discovered that's it not quite the contagious disease they thought it was. Anyone who chatted with me about this topic in the last few days already knows that I did not take it seriously. Quite the opposite. In my classroom you could even hear me blessing students after a sneeze with "swine flu" in place of "bless you."' I like to think that I am slightly irreverent but it is probably closer to cynical. It is rare that I worry too much about government warnings when they begin with solutions like cover your mouth and wash your hands. Don't get me wrong. Having the flu is a terrible thing even though I could probably count on one hand the times I have had it. I only remember 2 of them - one when I was a small child and the other when I was pregnant with Dave. I have always been blessed with good health. I am sorry for anyone who has suffered from Swine Flu and especially for those who have lost family members. But here's the deal; people have been dieing from the flu for thousands of years. And the solution is covering your sneezes and washing your hands. The funniest thing that happened in regards to this was yesterday on our field trip via VTA to Flint Center. As we were preparing to leave one of my students ran up to me and shouted, "Ms. Allen, I forgot my Purell. My mom said to be sure and take it with me today. Can I go to my locker?" Then the rest of the morning I couldn't help but notice how many kids pulled their sleeves down over their hands as they held on to the poles on the bus or railings in the auditorium. I just find things like this humorous. I suppose that really does make me a bit of a cynic.