Thoughts on the weirdness, wearing masks and gratitude

Yesterday was my first time out of the house since our nationwide lock down wearing a mask.
I got into my car with clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, and latex gloves.
If you had taken me in with all my gear you would have thought I was getting ready to operate...
on Walmart.

I made a mask out of an inspirational bandanna that I was given
while speaking at a girls youth retreat last year.
I tried it first with the uplifting hot pink  message facing outward.

In case you can't read it, it says:
Destined
You are God's
MASTERPIECE
He has created you for a Purpose

Which is true and such a good reminder.
Except that when I had it on,
it felt like my face might be yelling at passersby in the store.

So I flipped to the other side which was a dark green camo material.
This made me feel like I was getting ready for a heist or a military maneuver.
Both of which I guess could be true...since I felt like I was on a mission.
On high alert. Finding vital essentials for my squad (cheese sticks for the fam.)

The problem was that when I put the mask on,
the hair bands I was using didn't fit well over my elfin shaped ears.
It kept inching forward.
Making it feel like it was going to launch off my face like a catapult.
This has the opposite effect of social distancing.

And then there was the part where the mask itself felt too big,
and was pushing up into my lower eyelids...
which I am pretty sure was giving corona virus direct entry into my eyeballs.

The video from the surgeon general said,
"Make sure not to touch your mask once you have it on."
I touched it roughly around 17 times as I entered the store.
Since not only was it introducing lint balls and other pathogens into my tear ducts,
but blocked my peripheral vision.

Due to my compromised vision I didn't realize that a carton of cherry tomatoes
had burst open in my cart.
I was leaving a trail of them behind me like Hansel and Gretel.
A cashier walked up behind me and said,
"Oh, there you are...I have been following the line of tomatoes through the store."
He was very kind and helped me pick up the few that were rolling around by my feet.

I then made eye contact with a lady who wasn't wearing a mask
as we were trying to maintain a 6 foot distance.
She looked at me with my haphazard protective gear and I just said,
"This is so weird."
She laughed and said, "Yes. It is."
Which really meant,
"Bless your heart.
You are really trying, but I think corona virus might be getting in your eyeballs."

Then she said, "I have one, too." And, "You stay safe and healthy."
With great kindness and empathy.
I hoped she could tell that I was smiling at her from behind my face mask.

My last stop was the Easter candy section.
I ended up over committing when I remembered you are supposed
buy anything you touch.
I have enough chocolate eggs for all of southern Idaho.
This I do not regret. Every body needs a little chocolate (or 7 lbs.) on lock down.

By the time I finally made it to self-checkout, I thought I was having a panic attack.
Then I realized, I had over-layered my mask and just needed some oxygen.
I started to feel a deep kinship towards surgeons, and welders and people who use hand-sanders.
My respect for all mask wearers at this time is THROUGH THE ROOF, you guys.

I came out of the store and ripped off my mask,
(pretty sure the Surgeon General would have just shaken his head at me by this point.)
And turned back to the two greeters standing at the door and said,
"How are you guys holding up?"

Because really all the work they are doing to keep us all in food and toilet paper is amazing.

They both smiled and said they were doing well.
And then I thanked them. For being there. For working.
For holding steady in the weirdness.

The amazing thing is that underneath the undercurrents of fear and uncertainty that lace our days,
I am finding an under-undercurrent of  kindness and cooperation.
Not meanness or hoarding.

When I had to drive to California two weeks and half weeks ago to pick up Jack from college,
every person at each drive thru and gas station was taking time to check in with me and I with them.

"How are you doing?"
"Ok...how are you?" "Ok."
" This is so crazy." "Yes, it is!"
"Stay safe and healthy." "You, too!"

This was all said with liberal applications of wet wipes and hand sanitizer on both sides...
because we were taking care of each other.

Have you felt it?
I have seen people go out of their way to take care of and share with and uplift each other...
inspirational masks or not.

People are pulling together.
Checking on neighbors.
Doing grocery drop-offs for friends who are battling the virus.
Sharing funny videos to keep spirits lifted.
Doing birthday drive-bys.

And I am finding in the middle of combating an invisible foe along with the rest of the world...
that I am grateful.

I am incredibly thankful for every single person who is doing so much to benefit us all.
I am thankful for the health workers and essential workers and my neighbor across the street
who texted me a picture of a rainbow that she saw from her bedroom window.

I am thankful to my boys teachers who are completely redoing their lesson plans to fit an online
format, so that my kids can continue to learn. (Rockstars one and all.)

I am thankful to my pastor who is speaking to a crowd of zero and streaming it live
to share hope and peace.
(Have you ever tried to speak to a crowd of zero? It is unnerving.)

And I am thankful for you.
Because I know you are bringing hope and light and kindness to your own people.

And if by chance this week, you are feeling lethargic or anxious or worried,
(because we are all feeling that at different moments)
just pretend I am yelling at you with my inspirational face mask:

Destined
You are God's
MASTERPIECE
He has created you for a Purpose

It is so true. Especially right now!
You are a bringer of kindness and maybe some extra rolls of toilet paper for a friend in need.
Your care of yourself and others transcends social barriers and Lysol spray.

Know that I am praying this for you in the days ahead:

In the middle of the weirdness,
may the hope and love of Jesus spill out to those around you...
as you stay 6 feet apart
and smile at them behind your face masks.

And may you have all the Easter chocolate you need.