The sky was bright blue as I walked across the golden grassy field to sit down by the river, where the cottonwoods grow tall and the northern flickers and magpies come to feast. But there was nothing pastoral about the wind. Gusts over 40 miles an hour buffeted me, causing me to lean forward to keep steady, and I found myself wondering why I hadn’t chosen a more sheltered location for this short walk and a sit.

My freak-out meant that deciding whether or not to get the COVID vaccine wasn’t just a simple process of discernment, it was a process of self-healing, too. (Plus, seven practical steps you can take to more consciously make your own decision regarding the vaccine, or any other major decision for your body.)