Let me remind you that from Day 1 of this blog, I warned you that our time together was going to often involve nothing more than my odd-servations of the world around me as The Canswer Man. Periodically sharing anecdotes of how I react to the world now as a cancer carrier, and perceptions of how the world reacts to me - even though almost all of the world (except you 60+ loyalists) isn't even aware that I have the Big C (doesn't really show).
I acknowledge that I have wasted a lot of your time talking about masks. Objectively, overnight, they became a pervasive aspect of our culture relative to the Pandemic - even though in many parts of the world masks have been a long-established common courtesy worn by folks who themselves have a cold or other non-life-threatening communicable disease, as well as a reasonable prophylaxis during annual flu season or the like. I still chose to mask up on many occasions in public and I am clearly in the minority - which I have no problem with. Debatable politics and medical science aside, what I find particularly fascinating when masked in public these days, is the reaction that I get from children that I encounter in the most innocent and innocuous situations.
There is no vision of fear in their eyes when encountering the scary man with the scary mask, there is no hiding behind their parents’ legs until I pass, nor is there any noticeable anguish or apprehension. Kids see me with a mask on and either smile/wave or are completely unaffected by my nose and mouth being concealed. It's as if they are blind to my facial covering, or that the presence of my coverage is almost invisible to them. And keep in mind, they also cannot see the big, inviting smile that I am offering them from behind my mask - so I'm not even softening the suppositious shock of seeing my virus veil.
This is all very reassuring to me. As with many temporary changes in life, humans are inherently resilient and understanding (in this case so innocently and impressively illustrated by children). Me and my mask stand out now more than ever, but after three years of being surrounded by masks and even having had to wear masks themselves, the kids seem to be alright. Why am I not surprised?!
