Just Thinking...

With regard to the swine flu, I suspect that maybe some are over reacting, but honestly would it not have been better if we had over reacted when Katrina hit, rather than take the "wait and see" approach. If I can be overly cautious in regard to how I parent, by keeping my children from this or that experience, while many many will say, "you are over protective, just let them experience life", then these perhaps, over-protective measures regarding the flu should be about the same in my eyes. The way I see it, to err on the side of caution has saved more lives than lost them. If the government, the schools, the WHO, the CDC did not take major moves on this outbreak, and then bad things did happen, the outrage and outcry from the masses would be horrendous and we would begin to feel as though the government has failed us in one more area.
How would any of us feel if we take the cavalier approach to all this and accidentally contracted the flu, which we may deal with it fine, but perhaps we give it to our elderly relative or the neighbor child who then dies from it ? The "if's" in this equation are serious. It is much the same as the person who is very strict religiously, putting "fence" around "fence", such as the Jews who will not carry money on Sabbath, even though there is no biblical prohibition against carrying money on Sabbath, but they do so, simple to remove any risk of falling prey to a moment of weakness and spending that money on the Sabbath, which is a biblical rule for them.

I admire that caution. So many folks think they are stupid for going so far, but for them, the risk of sinning is just not worth it.

Same with the Amish and their way of life, all to avoid any risk of becoming worldly. A buggy keeps you home. Dressing the way they do, another caution.

We have our goats in a fenced pasture, in a fenced yard. Double fence, just in case they got out of one, chance is we would know it before they got out of fence number two !
So here we are in a setting much the same with this flu, putting fences around fences, just to avoid anything that might harm.
The cost of all this....well, what is the cost of caution if it might, yes, only MIGHT save a life ?
my 2 cents worth.
I didn't let my children do many things growing up simply with the idea that it MIGHT hurt them, and yes, it cost us more financially in some ways, I stayed home and didn't work , and we had to listen to family scoff our choices, but they grew up safe and are now well grounded adults. Worth the caution, you bet ! And I see all the caution now in much the same way. And who knows, it might be a dry run that could teach us a lot.

Final word, caution is good, panic is not. Live wise, but not in fear.

fences around fences, just in case