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Corona Diaries – The Mask Ask

To Mask or not, That is the Question

[dropcap]N[/dropcap]ever has such a small strip of fabric been the cause of such a big divide. It’s what stands between us and the pandemic which has claimed over 212,000 lives in the US alone. Yet, there are people who absolutely refuse to wear the mask because it makes them look weak, meek and a geek. More than that, it makes Trump followers feel less Trumpian – even if it does save lives. The president himself, who has resisted the mask, tested positive for COVID-19, and was flown to Walter Reed Hospital for treatment.  Several other White House folks have also tested positive, with new cases being reported every day.

Indeed, the mask cannot be taken lightly or mocked.

Thanks heaven for New Yorkers  – I feel such a  sense of love and admiration for them as I encounter them in this brave city of survivors. They all seem to wear the mask as if to the mask born. It’s become a part of them, almost an appendage, an extra arm or leg. They actually wear it, though sometimes they use it as a fancy chinstrap or dangle it like a scarf while staying socially distant.

Now that outdoor dining has opened, you see them eating and laughing, with their faces revealed and their masks perched on their heads or balanced on their chins. It’s nice to see people finally living their lives but their masks are never very far away, almost like a cyclist’s helmet or an asthmatic’s rescue inhaler – or like their much-loved cell phones.

There have been a few sad cases of clusters, of crowds  in Brooklyn and the lower Eastside but by and large New Yorkers have respected masks.  As have most Americans with common sense and some logic. A few zip codes have again flared up and there the mayor has closed down public life.

[dropcap]I [/dropcap]wish those who fear masks would take a light-hearted look at the heavy advantages of mask wearing:

1. You don’t have to spend a bundle on lipsticks because the mask covers your lips.
2. You don’t even have to worry if you weren’t able to thread your upper lip or chin. Who can see it and who cares?
3. If you’re feeling grouchy, you don’t have to smile. No one sees it anyway! Though it might be a good idea to be creative and paint a loopy smile on your mask to convey a positive vibe.
4. A mask eliminates the necessity of unnecessary banter and spouting small talk or nonsense. Be the strong, silent type and that’s makes you look erudite, mysterious and even heroic.
5. A mask prevents you from temptation if you are a compulsive eater – and will help you lose ounces, if not pounds. When you have to continually remove your mask to eat, you think twice about stuffing your mouth.
6. You can be stylish without spending a fortune. Instead of buying a whole new winter wardrobe, splurge on gorgeous, one-of-a-kind masks. Have you seen the haul that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has? Each matching with her outfit, and resting on her neck like a piece of striking jewelry when she’s speaking on television.
7. Your mask can also inspire you to be creative – start a business designing masks, a first step in your aspiration to be an artist or a fashion designer. Creating masks can be the start of a grassroots business as an entrepreneur, fulfilling a need in society and testing your own skills.
8. Finally the most important reason for wearing a mask – safeguarding your own life and that of other human beings.

It’s just common sense to put a barrier between yourself and the virus. It protects both you and your neighbor. I feel a great love welling up inside me as I see my fellow New Yorkers showing their respect and kindness towards each other.

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n my strolls to Central Park, I have seen entire families including the toddler in her stroller wearing masks.  Then there’s the Punjabi couple on Twitter wearing embroidered, sequined masks on their wedding day.  A nine-year-old girl in England has been sewing masks for seniors on her mom’s sewing machine.  In our Children’s Hope India projects in slum areas in Jodhpur and Bhopal, mothers and middle school girls have been sewing up hundreds of masks to give to those in need. It is a gesture of caring in a mean, difficult world.

The most important reason for masking up is to survive – save your life and that of others. So unless you’re headed for a Trump rally where masks are frowned upon – please mask up before you step outside. Even the Kamala Harris and Mike Pence vice presidential debate had mandatory masks for the audience and  a Plexiglas divider between the two. A Zoom call would have been even better in these unpredictable times.

One day we’ll get over the trauma of this virus just as we did other pandemics. What we will remember is what we did or did not do to protect ourselves, our families and others.

You would have the much battered memento of your mask to show your future generations that you were on the right side of history and lived to tell the tale – thanks to your mask!