On Masks

I had an odd moment while making my first Me Made May outfit: I questioned whether or not it would be worth it to make a matching mask.

Because this time last year, like many other folks, I was stuck inside my apartment slowly losing my mind. If I were making this outfit then, the only reason I wouldn’t have made a matching mask was there was no where to go and wear it.

My everyday life has seen a night and day difference since I got vaccinated (and I can appreciate that privilege while being critical of stockpiling vaccines when they’re desperately needed elsewhere). It means so much knowing I can go out and my chance of infecting my family/friends/strangers by asymptomatically passing on a debilitating, sometimes deadly, virus is super low.

I’ll keep wearing a mask out in crowded spaces, though, until health officials say it’s safe to do otherwise. I’ll never understand how that became such a hot button issue. We only get out of this when we look out for our whole community. There’s no way a minor discomfort is less endurable than hurting your neighbor, in any way.

So, maybe I’ll make a mask and only get one chance to wear it. Maybe I won’t get any chances to wear it. I’ll make them with the chance that I can go out as safely (and as coordinated) as possible, and even if that guidance changes tomorrow, I would never consider that a waste.