My husband (police officer) is grateful for no mask, today. He can hear and be heard. See and be seen as a person and not a uniform with face hidden. Fir his job? A relief.
Wendy, thanks for adding this perspective. It's so true; when our faces are in part hidden, we lose our full ability to read expressions and hear each other more clearly. Let's hope the cases stay down, and we can continue to see our fellow humans fully!
A rich reflection on the internal dialog we all have going on in our heads, some like you more willing to share that process, others barely conscious of their to-and-fro tug of war. "What if I encourage him to go without his mask and he gets sick? what if he keeps it on and gets bullied ..." I suspect the more important component is not what course of action is actually taken but the internal process which led there.
This is so beautiful. I had the experience of being around (a select few) people, unmasked, for a couple of hours. It was strange until it wasn't -- but I'm still wearing m mask in the grocery store.
Thanks for this, Brianne! I really appreciate how you've captured the ambiguity that I know I have felt throughout the last two years. I view mask wearing pretty much exactly as you describe your own views- a small act of kindness to try to slow the spread (and in those early days something I could tangibly DO, which felt grounding). As rates decline and our mandates start to lift, I think it is really going to take some getting used to. Right now I find myself defaulting to what the staff at places I visit is doing. For example, all the employees at my local coffee shop still wear masks, so I wear mine. I figure I'm in and out, but they are there all day-- so if that's their comfort level, I want to honor it. Hope things are going well for your son this week.
My husband (police officer) is grateful for no mask, today. He can hear and be heard. See and be seen as a person and not a uniform with face hidden. Fir his job? A relief.
Wendy, thanks for adding this perspective. It's so true; when our faces are in part hidden, we lose our full ability to read expressions and hear each other more clearly. Let's hope the cases stay down, and we can continue to see our fellow humans fully!
A rich reflection on the internal dialog we all have going on in our heads, some like you more willing to share that process, others barely conscious of their to-and-fro tug of war. "What if I encourage him to go without his mask and he gets sick? what if he keeps it on and gets bullied ..." I suspect the more important component is not what course of action is actually taken but the internal process which led there.
This is so beautiful. I had the experience of being around (a select few) people, unmasked, for a couple of hours. It was strange until it wasn't -- but I'm still wearing m mask in the grocery store.
Thanks for this, Brianne! I really appreciate how you've captured the ambiguity that I know I have felt throughout the last two years. I view mask wearing pretty much exactly as you describe your own views- a small act of kindness to try to slow the spread (and in those early days something I could tangibly DO, which felt grounding). As rates decline and our mandates start to lift, I think it is really going to take some getting used to. Right now I find myself defaulting to what the staff at places I visit is doing. For example, all the employees at my local coffee shop still wear masks, so I wear mine. I figure I'm in and out, but they are there all day-- so if that's their comfort level, I want to honor it. Hope things are going well for your son this week.