My children have a hole in their lives that used to be filled by visits from grandparents and family living out of town and in India. Extended family living close is a blessing that so many Americans take for granted.

We see people visiting Disney, traveling for fun, sharing posts about how amazing their vacations were during the pandemic — whereas we are struggling to plan travel because every time we do, it's either delta, omicron or worse: someone in India falls sick.

My children keep asking me, "When will Nanu and Nani visit? When will we go to India?"

Humanity has suffered a lot in the past two years. We have been suffering because people are selfish, greedy and blind to their own faults — always looking to place the blame on anyone else but themselves. You can't even imagine the suffering around you. Yes, it is stressful to think of, but TRY....

Just think beyond yourself. Be kind. Be human.

In our local neighborhood group, a man today encouraged parents to go maskless in spite of the schools choosing to go against our newly elected governor's call to remove masks in schools. His words: "Don't let the schools bully our children anymore."

And while yes, I would love our children to be protected in every way possible, all I could think of was, "What a protected and privileged world must this person come from where protective gear against sickness feels like bullying to him."

Would I encourage you to get vaccinated? Yes.

Would I force you to? No.

But do I then expect you to do your bit in protecting those around you, especially the children, from an unseen, possibly dangerous enemy? Yes.

When you choose to opt out of masks and vaccinations, do you also opt out of the health care you will need when you fall sick, thus lessening the load on the hospitals?

This past year has been hard. It's been horrifying. A burden on so many of us, who chose to stay home to do our bit.

When you keep traveling and sharing pictures on Facebook, do you realize how those of us feel who haven't seen family in ages? I haven't seen my family in three years. I've taken only a four-day vacation in that same time period.

Yes, we all want this pandemic to be over. But what is the hurry for normalcy? Take your time. Ease into things and let some of us breathe a sigh of relief because we can trust those around us to do the right thing.