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Charla Huber: Everyone has their own risk threshold; let's not judge others' choices

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Billie Eilish performs in Austin, Texas, in October. Charla Huber writes that when she assesses the risks of attending events such as the recent Eilish concert in ­Vancouver, she also looks at the impact on ­mental health of not doing things that bring you joy. Rich Fury, Getty Images, TNS

I took my daughter to Vancouver at the end of March, so we could attend the ­Billie Eilish concert.

I’d purchased the tickets a year before, not knowing if COVID would throw a wrench in our plans. We had high hopes but knew that it might not happen.

Fortunately for us, and the many other fans in attendance, the concert was held as planned.

Watching my daughter’s face light up with excitement at her first stadium ­concert was incredible. It was also a powerful moment for me to feel like life might be moving closer to normal.

We won’t be able to turn back the clock to a time prior to COVID. That’s like trying to see the world through a young child’s eyes, after you’ve grown up, had your heart broken and paid taxes.

What we can do is find a new balance that includes being aware of COVID and honours the importance of embracing life.

Attending a big concert reminded me that I need to prioritize more fun in my life.

I know that everyone has different comfort levels, and each of us assesses risk differently.

For me, I want to acknowledge the risks of participating in something versus the benefits.

I also weigh the risks of not ­participating. Mental-health challenges are real, and they affect both children and adults.

I want to make good choices to reduce the risk of contracting COVID, and I also want to reduce the risk of ­experiencing depression and anxiety.

For my daughter, the Billie Eilish ­concert was a highlight of her life, so for our family it was worth the risk. Other people who may not be Billie Eilish fans would have no problem missing it.

Each of us has our own ­interpretation of what a risky situation is, what is ­frivolous and what is not important.

I met up with a friend in Vancouver who we hadn’t seen in over year. She was taking her kids to the concert as well.

“So did you two get COVID?” she asked.

“Thankfully no,” I responded, knocking on wood.

“You’re lucky — everyone in our house got it but me,” my friend said, ­explaining that each of her family members had caught COVID at separate times.

COVID is real, it can be dangerous, and I’ve heard that when symptoms are more than mild, it’s awful.

I would consider myself as someone who is careful. I wear masks in situations I deem appropriate. I wash my hands and try to keep my distance from others. As I write this, I also acknowledge that I am not perfect in following these all the time.

We will all move at our own pace when it comes to feeling comfortable attending social gathering and big events. We can acknowledge this and make a conscious effort not to judge other people’s choices.

If there is one thing about COVID that I feel the most unsettled about, it is the social acceptance of judging other people and their choices.

I’ve supported masks, vaccinations and vaccine passports.

I make choices for myself and my ­family that align with our values, goals and happiness.

I can disagree with other people’s choices and decisions, but at the end of the day, the only person I can control is myself.

As we move forward and rekindle ­community connections, I encourage you to look for things that bring you joy and happiness.

Spending time pointing fingers at ­others won’t bring you peace of mind, just anxious feelings and a rockier path to move forward on.

Charlahuber@outlook.com