Allergies and Responsibilities

In our part of the world we have had a very mild winter so far.  It has been wet and it has been cold, but it hasn't really been that cold.  We have only had a handful of days where the temperatures dropped below freezing.  I haven't had to break ice on the cattle water a single time so far.  I'm sure that will change, but the near-term forecast isn't calling for it.

The mild weather has meant an early allergy season.  I don't think the cedar trees in our area are releasing pollen yet, but they will soon.  However, the cedars to the southwest of us in Central Texas are in full bloom and the amount of pollen arriving on the prevailing southwest breezes has been overwhelming.  It affects my breathing and my eyes mostly, but on some days, I can't stop my nose from running either.  My better half has been fighting it for weeks.  It is debilitating to someone unused to dealing with it.

Growing up on the High Plains of the southern Texas Panhandle I didn't have to worry about cedar pollen.  It was all to the southeast of us and prevailing winds took it another direction.  What got me there was the pollen from Careless Weeds (Pigweed), Kochia, corn, grain sorghum and who knows what else.  In the fall, the dust from cotton affected me greatly.  Gin dust triggers asthma within seconds of breathing it.

I've lived with allergies to pollen and dust all of my life.  You just learn to suck it up (sometimes literally) and go on.  It saps your energy and it is annoying -- both to you and to others.  It keeps the Kleenex company in business.

I suppose I could jump on the "Climate Change" bandwagon and blame my allergies on the rest of humanity.  It couldn't possibly be something natural that is causing this mild winter; it must be the result of human activity.  After all, if a person doesn't believe in God, everything becomes the result of human effort.  It also fits the pattern of finding fault.  It is popular to blame someone else for your problems rather than just accepting that things happen and moving on.

I'm responsible for my behavior.  Part of that responsibility is in how I react to adversity or, to the good things that happen in life.  I also believe we each have the responsibility to help others through times of adversity because we may need similar help in the future.  Right now, I will pass the box of Kleenex and take on a few extra chores because for whatever reason, the allergies aren't affecting me quite as hard.  Maybe I've built up some immunity through the years.