Ask Annie for Jan. 21, 2003 Dear Annie,
You got a letter a while back about annoying things people do at church. The writer was saying they had a hard time concentrating when people next to them took notes, or whatever. What's bothered me at my church lately is those who attend who are apparently ill, and constantly blow their noses, snuffle around, cough, dig out throat lozenges and unwrap them, etc. Especially this winter, with flu so rampant, I can't understand why people who are not well subject others to their contagion.
Skipping Church Until Spring, Centralia, WA
Dear Truant,
Skipping church until spring won't keep you from all the other public places where germs lurk. Unless you attend an unusually large church, you probably come into contact with more people when you go to the grocery store. Here are some points in regards to your letter: Some people, especially the elderly or those who no longer drive far from home, only get out on Sundays to church. They hate to miss their worship service. It recharges the batteries for the coming week! It is impossible to tell from outside symptoms whether what ails one person is contagious to another. Think of allergies and all the misery they cause the sufferer, yet that reaction can't be transferred to anyone else by any means. Also, though precautions must be taken and I wouldn't want anyone to take risks with their health, the media reporting on isolated batches of flu in communities elsewhere can make it seem to us like, "Oh, my God, everyone has the flu! It's an epidemic!" when actually they just repeat themselves and saturate the TV with the same news stories over and over again. Follow your heart as to whether to attend church before the spring thaw, but don't let paranoia govern your every move.
Annie
Please write to: Annie, P.O. Box 1084, Eatonville,WA 98328
E-mail: letters_annie@hotmail.com
Past Ask Annies:
Jan. 21, 2004 Avoid Church Because of Flu?
Jan. 14, 2004 Boyfriend Breakup But Gift, Also Relative Tells Private Life
Dec. 24, 2003 Memories of Good Parents
Dec. 17, 2003 Christmas Gift for Wife?
Dec. 10, 2003 Thanks to Food Bank Helpers
Dec. 3, 2003 Child's Names on Belongings & Appreciating Family at Holidays
Nov. 26, 2003 Big Family Thanksgiving with Paper Plates
Nov. 12, 2003 Husband Driven Nuts To Do Crafts By Wife
Nov. 5, 2003 Dreading Husband's Retirement
Oct. 29, 2003 Move back home from boyfriend's house?
Oct. 22, 2003 Did I raise my daughter to do these things?
Oct. 15, 2003 Misunderstanding about School Workers' Kindness
Oct. 8, 2003 Prayer for Brown Sisters Killed and Change Schoolyear to Oct.1 to June 30
Oct. 1, 2003 Response About Non-tipping Lotto Winner
Sept. 24, 2003 Church-goers Inattentive
Sept. 17, 2003 Friend Sells My Stuff on Ebay
Sept. 10, 2003 Lottery Winner Didn't Tip Clerk
Sept. 3, 2003 Business Insults to Consumers
Aug. 27, 2003 Divison of Wedding Expense
Aug. 20, 2003 School Workers' Kindness & Men's Attractiveness
Aug. 13, 2003 Attractiveness Hints
Aug. 6, 2003 Annie's Husband's Accident at Work
July 30, 2003 Deer Automatic Sprinkler Best & Stores Don't Stock Washington Clothes
July 23, 2003 Scarecrows and Halloween Decorations Scare Off Prowlers Too
July 16, 2003 Redhead Asks Attractiveness Advice
July 2, 2002 Atomatic Deer Scarecrow Blasts Prowler