Pandemic, Masks, and Friendliness

 We've been in the pandemic of COVID-19 for a while now.  Looks like it will still be months.  At the start, the U.S. government did not recommend masks and most people resisted, because it "impinged" on their personal freedoms.  The president at the beginning of the epidemic even stated that it was "undemocratic" to wear masks.  Huh?  Now, the government has finally see the light.  But, people still resist.  I liked what I friend told me about secondary reasons of why he wore a mask (paraphrased): "I don't want to be responsible for killing someone's grandparent."  For our health and the health of others, we should wear masks when among strangers.

My family wears masks when outside of our personal property (home, yard, cars and grandma's place.)  There are places where I think that it's okay not to wear a mask, but my young teen is terrified of infection.  Well, perhaps not terrified, but terribly concerned.  She freaks when I don't have a mask one and a stranger is within visual distance.  So, I begrudgingly wear one for her.

Friendliness

From reading stories from various sources, many people take offense at someone wearing a mask around them.  I disagree, since neither party knows what exposure the other has had.  But, in my opinion, there are things that we can do to help alleviate tensions.  For the purposes of this post, there is one primary thing to do and that is to be friendly.

I am an introvert.  I rarely engage strangers in conversation.  I have had social anxiety on many occasions.  I consider myself somewhat socially inept.  I an nervous and shy around strangers.  Painting a wonderful picture of myself, eh?

I make an effort to say 'hello' and 'how are you' to strangers while wearing a mask.  Usually, this is when we're out at a park.  Inside stores, I usually do not, but in the parking lot, I do.  I feel that it is important to reach out to strangers when wearing the mask.  The mask is a barrier between people.  It can cause anxiety in others.  I can smile but no one can see that, so I must speak.

In general, most people respond. Makes me feel good when I get a genuine smile.  As a side effect, I hope that my daughter picks up on this habit.  She is like me in many ways.  And I certainly want her to be better than me.  What normal parent doesn't want that for their child?