Like most of us, I am spoiled and tired of Covid and ready for life to be the way it used to be. I realize that at this point none of us know when, or if, that will ever happen… at least it may not ever be exactly the same. As we go about our day now, we see masks on faces instead of smiles. We keep our distance from each other in the stores and on the streets. And of course we all know by now that this mask wearing and distancing is more for the others around us than for ourselves. My pastor called it a way to “love your neighbor”, by showing them the courtesy of taking steps to not infect them. We know so little about this virus and the rhetoric changes daily; how can we know if we are capable of infecting someone or not? Why wouldn’t you err on the side of caution?

Yet, there are still those among us who refuse to wear a mask. Maybe it’s for political reasons; they want the world to know where they stand. Maybe they don’t believe the virus is that bad. Maybe they have no faith in government or the news media. Maybe they think they are healthy and there’s no way they could have it and therefore pass it on. To me it seems simple… we do not know enough about this virus to know one way or the other. Period. We cannot compare it to a virus we know like influenza. We cannot say how it will act in my body versus in your body. We cannot guarantee that we will not infect and possibly cause the death of another person. We just do not know. What might give you the sniffles could be a death sentence to me for internal reasons that neither of us are even aware of. Because of this I am flabbergasted at the people who choose not to wear a mask. I can think of no better reason to wear one than to protect the people around you and anyone they may come into contact with. It trumps the sweating, the messed up makeup/hair, the stigma of wearing a mask, the embarrassment or discomfort… life trumps it all. This is why I am under quarantine for the next two weeks.

I am not here to rant about why should wear a mask. Despite all I’ve said previously, I do believe it is an individual choice. I can’t force you to think of others and just wear the mask. I can’t change your mind if you just don’t want to do it. I just know what I am going to do. I am going to quarantine. In two weeks, I head from Florida (the current hotspot, and I don’t mean the place to be by any means) to West Virginia to visit Babcia. Babcia… who is 78 years old. Who has COPD. Who is diabetic. Who has an artificial heart valve. Who is the definition of high risk for any respiratory infection. Babcia who survived a time of holocaust and war. Babcia who was left behind in her home country by her family at a very young age, and would not see them again until she was 15 years old. Babcia who had to learn an entire new culture, language, and way of life in order to survive and to thrive. Babcia who went to work as a young woman and worked every day of her life until she retired not long ago. Babcia, who endured the hardships of poverty, marriage troubles, the death of a son. Babcia who buried her husband after cancer defeated him. Babcia who has survived more in one lifetime than I can even comprehend is NOT going to be taken out by this virus. At least not if I have anything to say about it.

I quarantine. I wash hands and use sanitizer. I try to stay healthy. I stay home. I wear my mask. All of this I do before coming to see her because she deserves it. She deserves that courtesy and respect. She deserves for those around her to take extra precautions because her life has meaning and is precious. She is still here, she still has work to do. If you don’t want to wear a mask, I cannot force you to do it. I probably won’t change your mind. I have to believe that maybe you don’t have anyone in your life that you treasure so much that the thought of taking the slightest chance of harming them terrifies you. I hope that isn’t true. And I hope you all stay healthy and happy until we all get through this.