Smile

Smile

I rushed out the door into the world. Anything could happen. I may get in a car accident. I may trip and break my leg. They might not have everything I need at the store. They might not have toilet paper! I may get corona virus! I was going outside of my bubble into the scary world. I was going to the grocery store. It is not my favorite thing to do anyway but I used to enjoy it more because there were other humans there to talk to and to smile at. Now I am not so sure. Now all I see is masked men and women and children. It is not a happy sight. I may see someone I know and not recognize them. Everyone just looks so impersonal. It seems like another world where you can not recognize any one. I miss going out in public and seeing people’s expressions and smiles. I miss talking even small talk in the grocery isles. I miss the joy of seeing someone I know and getting a chance to chat and catch up on our families, children, grandchildren, parents, friends, while we stand in front of the fruit or vegetables isle laughing and chatting, forgetting what we came for and the dinner that needs to be made when we get home. Masks. Eyes. No smiles. No laughing, No shiny teeth. No noses. No dimples and rosy cheeks. No joy and happiness. People look like walking dead or zombies. Many times the eyes peeping out of those masks look sad, downcast or frightened. Even sweet little children, with the joy and sunshine gone from their faces, looking at people with empty eyes. People mumbling under their masks repeating themselves so many time that they get frustrated and finally pull down their masks so you can understand them, only for a worker to yell across the store, “Put on your mask!” So they walk off and forget their question and do not get their needs met.

I was a loner that day. The lone ranger without the mask. I used to wear masks because we were told to. Because it was safe. Because we were told that it was the loving and neighborly thing to do. So I did it out of supposed kindness and compassion. But the more studies I read about this pandemic, Covid19 virus, the more I became skeptical of the masks. If I am not sick, not coughing or sneezing or spreading germs, why should I wear a mask? If I were sick, I should be home. If I were immune -compromised or had per-preexisting health problems, I would take care of myself and not go out or I would wear my mask if I had to go out. When Micah was immune compromised because of leukemia he wore a mask in public. The doctors said it wouldn’t really keep him from getting sick, but maybe it would scare people enough that they would stay away. We did not tell all our friends and neighbors to wear masks so Micah wouldn’t get sick. We were responsible and had to say no to a lot of social life. It was hard but it was the right thing to do. The more I read the more I have been convinced that not only is it not physically healthy to wear masks, especially all the time and more especially for children, but I am convinced it is not healthy emotionally, spiritually, or mentally. God gave us mouths to breath, smile, cry with people, show concern, compassion and love. He gave us mouths and noses to breath deep of the fresh air He gave us to breath. He gave us faces to smile and t bless others with. Another thing is, that when the government mandates every single person wear a mask at all times in public, I think they have overstepped their boundaries and are trying to take away our God given and constitutional rights, and people are going along with it like Zombies. So, I was not wearing a mask. It is not that I never will but this day I did not. It was depressing seeing all the impersonal people walking by each other without a word and without a smile. I got through my shopping as quickly as I could and began looking for a checkout lane. I walked towards the front of the store when suddenly a man came into the store, all happy go lucky. He seemed to be bouncing in his steps with a joyful countenance. He was not wearing a mask! I stopped and looked him full in the face. He smiled real big at me and I smiled real big at him. Wow! I saw a human today! This made my day! I was blessed! I walked out of that store excited and joyful for I saw a joyful face, with dimples, smiling cheeks and eyes that shined! Thank you Jesus for faces and for smiles!