It Is Joyous to See All Your Faces Again

You people all look great

Much has been written, since the CDC announced last week that vaccinated people did not have to wear masks indoors or outdoors, about the wisdom or prudence of the federal organizations’ new guidelines. Many epidemiologists felt the announcement was mishandled, and the CDC itself has reorganized its command structure in response to the backlash. There are reasonable questions to be asked about whether the CDC’s timing was suspect, whether they had appropriately prepped the public on what was coming. It’s a confusing time. Pandemics are very disorienting.

But still: I find myself thinking more of the reaction, the immediate one, that President Biden and the Republican lawmakers he was meeting with at the time the CDC’s announcement came out. They, almost as one, ripped off their masks and smiled at each other. The minute they could took off their masks, he did. I get it.

I have diligently, constantly worn masks throughout this pandemic. I have certain masks I wear for different occasions, athletic masks when I’m coaching Little League baseball, sleek silk masks for dinners out, that sort of thing. I’ve been consistently covered when out, and have in fact had to work on not scowling at someone when we’re indoors and they don’t have masks on. Our lives have been like this for more than a year now, but I’ve dealt with it the way you are supposed to. I masked up. I did the right thing.

But jeez, I didn’t like wearing masks. My desire for others to wear masks was not because I personally found them so cool and comfortable. Wearing masks is weird, and awkward, and served as a constant reminder that something terrible and all-encompassing was happening, something that would upend our lives for years to come. Masks made it so you couldn’t forget what was going on. They were a sign we were so locked in this. I wore them. I insisted others wear them. But yeah: I hated wearing them. I couldn’t wait until I didn’t have to anymore.

And now: We don’t! I’m fully vaccinated, everyone in my close circle (outside of my children) is fully vaccinated so … masks are off! I understand why people would feel uncomfortable taking their masks off; I certainly think if you would rather keep your mask on, you absolutely should do so without…