Thoughts on Immunity

Last year I watched every episode of The Office on Netflix.  I'd watched it sporadically when it was actually on the air, but I didn't have consistent access to a television (and, when I lived in the Japanese House, we weren't allowed to watch TV in English), so it was fun to finally watch the whole series, start to finish, and get all the inside jokes that built up throughout it.  And, of course, I loved Jim and Pam.

It wasn't a perfect show (that honor goes to either Arrested Development or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Obviously).  There were plenty of times when watching Michael Scott was just painful, which is NOT the same thing as funny.  But his character mellowed nicely throughout the series, and by the end he was a pretty good guy who you could genuinely cheer for.

One of the things I thought they handled perfectly was the plot line for Jim and Dwight, office nemeses...  (Yes, I had to look up how to pluralize that word.)  In case you're not familiar with the show, Jim is the guy who's always playing practical jokes on Dwight.  For plenty of people, that would make them love him, but I don't especially like practical jokes, so this would normally make Jim the bad guy in my mind-- at some point, most jokes cross the line into bullying, right?  But the show always made Dwight a bad enough guy, that you ended up feeling that he deserved whatever Jim threw at him.  At the same time, the show gradually turned Dwight into an okay guy, and eventually made him friends with Jim until by the end of the series it was-- dare I say it?-- kind of sweet.  That's some good writing there!



Anyway, there was one episode where Dwight lectures the entire office about how, rather than using hand sanitizer all the time, they should embrace germs because it helps build up your immune system.  He declares that if a person sneezes on you, rather than be grossed out you should thank them for it.

This of course turns into everyone rushing to Dwight's side every time they need to sneeze so they can sneeze on him.  It's gross.  Watching that episode turns my stomach.  Even thinking about it too much to write about it here makes me want to gag.

But I've come to realize (to my horror) that it actually describes my life pretty accurately.  These kids of mine are CONSTANTLY sneezing on me.  Especially when we read scriptures in the morning!  Something about that makes Kendra and Ryder both have fits of sneezing.  Are they allergic to the Book of Mormon???    If they're not sneezing on me, they're coughing on me.  Or trying to wipe their noses on me.  I probably wash my hands dozens of times each day.  And then I have to just squeeze my eyes shut and try to not think about it too much. 

But on the plus side, I really do have a pretty rockin' immune system.  I'll get a cold every now and then, but even that's pretty rare.  I can't even remember the last time I had to see a doctor because I was sick.  If Dwight is correct (and we all know we can trust any medical advice we get from a television character!), is it possible that I have my children's disgusting habits to thank for how healthy I am?