Beneath the masks at the grocery store, a smile goes unnoticed. Beneath the masks, the store is crowded. Is there no longer security in social distancing? A 6-foot tape measure will not help us now. There are reasons to be close together.
Breathing heavily beneath the mask. Breathing in hope, breathing out fear. Beneath the masks lie smiles, tears, worry and wrongdoing. Can’t you see it in our eyes, our cries? No eye contact, people rushing, claustrophobia intact, breathing if we can, but what if we cannot?
Use the mask to express safety for those with compassion in their hearts. Let your nose run and your ears turn red and floppy from the stretchy bands that hold the mask in place.
Beneath the mask — stretching the suffering to include us all.
Jennifer Delozier
Easthampton