"Are you vaccinated? Udah Vaksin belom?"

Udah beberapa hari ini itu jadi pertanyaan dasar yang gw denger. Simple question yet so powerful, bahkan membuat orang yang udah lama ga negor gw (online or offline) jadi negor gw, but that's the first question. can you imagine?

Instead of : Halo, apa kabar? Sehat kah? Gimana kerjaan? Gimana Keluarga?

Gue bisa maklum sih, sangat. Situasi akhir2 ini yang membuat topik soal vaksin ini jadi bahan perbincangan dimana-mana. Gw juga uda bisa menebak sih klo someday manusia akan terbagi berdasarkan jenis vaksin apa yang mereka ambil :D ... But honestly, gw gak menyangka klo this kind of 'discussion' is going to happen in my own home, my own dining table, my own living room. I mean, my friend and family debating over this matter. V-A-C-C-I-N-E.

FYI, I'm not vaccinated YET. Why? Not because I'm anti vaccine, but because I have precondition that makes me have to be more cautious with any medical decision. I have autoimmune. But I was vaccinated in 2020 with meningitis before I went for Umrah, and I'm pretty fine with that. I 'Just' got some flare ups and my immune was down for 1 week and so I got flu. Disclaimer : For 5 years, after I fix my nutrition,  I never got ANY flu, and never consume any single pill. So that was the first time I got flu after 5 years. And so, with covid vaccine,  I decide to WAIT. Why? Because 1. Indonesia only get 2 kinds of vaccines which is Sinovac and AstraZeneca (But will soon get Moderna and Pfizer). And these 2 vaccines is not so recommended for autoimmune (as per my own research). So I decided to wait. 

But then Moderna came, but only for limited dose. And it's gone so quickly. Well, I understand because many people especially with comorbidity is still not vaccinated yet. And the number is also high. Psst, actually I know where these vaccine goes as well, many of 'selected' people in my cuntry got their 3rd boost with Moderna - WHILE many other people with comorbidity still not get any single dose of vaccine. I will not discuss this but if you want proof you will SOON find it ;)

But that's not what I'm concerning about. 

I shut down from social media for 2 weeks already. Why? One - Because I cant stand too many informations flying around, and so many sides from the story. Two - and this is the most important thing, I start getting message, from the main circle of friends and family, asking me (or some being pushy) to get the vaccine. Because they know I'm not vaccinated yet. I've told them about my condition, I even make a post about it so people CAN READ. IQRA. But they always come with different way to say that "I AM WRONG" or "I AM IDIOT" or "I AM SELFISH" for not getting vaccinated.

The situation now, with the vaccine certificate, is the one without vaccine cannot go to public places like restaurants, malls, cafes, and travelling to other region. So I start getting tagged by people (ironically my closest circle of friends and family) showing they have gatherings in a cafe and say : "Poor you can't come, go get vaccinated!" while they KNOW why I don't get vaccinated YET.

I know some people DO really care about ME. But some people do really care about Themselves. Those who speak to me with kindness and understanding - will respect my decision, because it is related with my LIFE. But those who "think they care about me" - will push me, and not listen but just talk talk and talk, discourage me, judge me, and even say I'm stupid. 

Am I sad? Of course.

But now I understand that those people, that not so understanding, are speaking not from their heart, not by love, but by FEAR. They fear about whatever covid cause them, family lost, social restriction, economy, etc. The pandemic fatigue. They are TIRED. I am also TIRED. So WE start to find a scapegoat. We blame things for any unfortunate things that happen in our life during this pandemic. First, when covid came, we blame Wuhan people. Then, when covid case rise up, we blame people that reject wearing mask. Now after everybody wear mask, we blame unvaccinated people for the civid that not gone away still. We blame unvaccinated people for the slowing down of economy, for the fear of getting poor, for having no job, for any difficulty in life - even it's not related with covid.

I UNDERSTAND. 

But, I still believe, vaccine is every person PERSONAL decision. It's not supposed to be applied for ALL KINDS of people. I keep myself tidy and clean. I wear my mask anywhere. I take many precautions, supplements, healthy diets, etc. I don't do recklessly spitting anywhere. I don't smoke. I keep safety measure strictly. But why I was considered SELFISH? 

How about people that smoke? They OBVIOUSLY spreading toxin to the air and soil. Are they not SELFISH as long as they take the vaccine? I take my health seriously since 5 years ago, long before covid come, and I successfully manage it. I never got sick even once (God forbid). Why should I tell people about my diet regime? What I have done to keep me healthy these years? While many of people out there, especially the one that push me to violate my medical decision, still live in unhealthy state? Metabolically. They keep smoking, never get exercise, eat many junk food. Just because you take the jab then now you become a saint?

Where is the EMPATH?

Indonesia is a country with multiculture, multireligion. But so far, for hundred years, we can live in harmony. Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. Unity in diversity. Where is it now?  

Vaccinated OR Unvaccinated. No matter what your choice, please respect each other. We dont event ask about each other religion. Or whether you are vaccinated with polio or not. Are you vaccinated with meningitis? It's also another spreading disease. I got the shot, so am I better than you? Do I have the right to judge you or not letting you come to my house? The unvaccine one can spread virus to others? YES, so does the vaccinated one!

So my message is, PLEASE. BE KIND. It's okay to be different. It's okay to tell your opinion. But to push it to someone, and even make it like a mandate from God, and you ISOLATE those people that not following your advice... WHO ARE YOU? 

Even God didn't punish any man directly that violate His rule. HE act on LOVE. He LISTEN with HEART. 

If you think your decision is the best for all human being, then BE. Act upon it. Show LOVE. Show the best version of you, that will make people drawn upon you, because the light you show. We are now in a dark room, and each of us are looking a way out, a  silver lining light in the sky. Be that light. Be the peace for people that desperately need it right now.