Difficulty Deciding About Flu Shot

Dear Parent,

You want a guarantee for your child’s life. There isn’t one. After I became a mother I said to my friends, “Mothering is the most magnificent experience of my life and the scariest.” To be at peace, we must learn to let go, let be, embrace the fear and live in this magnificent moment.

Every decision we make is a risk because we never know where we are going. We can get into a car accident on the way to get the vaccine... The child can be harmed by the vaccines, or get ill without it. Our desire to make life secure and to fixate permanent safety is hopeless. 

Inner peace comes from embracing the constant change and unknown that life is. In a way, all decisions make themselves if you let them. We get stressed out about decision because we want to know “now.” If you gather information and live with the unanswered question, the decision will show up. 

While not making a decision, and without needing to decide at all, you will feel the peace you are looking for. It is in that state of no answer that there is calm. An answer means needing that fixed solution so we always come up with the next worry. Not deciding is living in this risky moment and realizing that life is kind and we are amazingly safe and resilient and so are our children.

As for the specific issue of vaccines, like you said, it is not my expertise. But, I suggest you explore much more carefully what you read and check who is behind it. Truth can easily be twisted, told part way, or manipulated to fit a goal. Much of the current publicity is nothing but sales. 

Deciding which risk to take may seem difficult when you don’t know enough. Keep exploring and it will become clear. For me, taking action that may cause harm is not something I am willing to do. I can see life and nature bringing illness or loss but I am not able to be the one taking the action of injecting my child with something that could endanger him and maybe, or maybe not, prevent something else that may or may not be dangerous. I also feel I have more control in dealing with sickness and helping a child stay healthy and heal well, with organic raw foods, sun, fresh air, physical activity and joy. 

Every step we take is a decision. Decisions make themselves every second and the ripple effect of each is endless. Parenting is so intense, that it literally forces you to let go of control if you want to be at peace.

Warmly, Naomi Aldort, http://authenticparent.com