Who are we behind the mask?

 Our new routine of wearing masks; all of a sudden, our faces are covered.  You walk through stores and buildings and all sorts of venues and we are all wearing them and so much has changed because of masks.  People do not seem to make eye contact with you anymore.  There is no reason to say hello or quietly smile when you walk by someone. I have heard so many people say, “I don’t even recognize people with their masks on”.  We all may look alike but we still understand that we are innately different.   
     As ironic as it seems, masks also gave some people the strength and ability to speak out and rally for causes that they may never have had the courage to express before.  Masks gave timidly shy people a sense of security in public that they may not have felt before.  Masks allowed our prejudices to loosen and our intuition to unfold. Masks forced us to recognize people not for their physical appearance, but for whom they genuinely are at the core of their being.
      Masks are a constant reminder to us that we are vulnerable people whose lives can end at any given moment; however, masks can also be a reminder of how resilient each and every one of us can be and how adaptable we can become to any circumstance.
     Let us never choose to hide behind our masks.  Let us always remember to find our voice, say hello, speak our truth, purpose and spiritual belief.    
     Someday when the masks come off, may we never forget all the lessons we learned during this time our faces were covered.  Let us remember how we were able to look beyond the masks we wore and saw humankind with more clarity than ever before.
Nameste’
​Nancy Lombardo