For the past few months we  have been dealing with the crisis of the coronavirus, Covid 19, and the many dangers it has presented for so many throughout the globe. It began in Wuhan Province, China, either in a market or a lab—it really doesn’t matter—and wreaked havoc around the world.  Millions were sickened, hundreds of thousands died, and it is taking a tremendous emotional and economic toll.  It’s called a pandemic, the likes of which have not been seen for over a century, and the effects of which are still mounting and may be incalculable..

Now that we Americans have come to terms with the disease and taken measures to mediate the spread through isolation and sanitization of selves and surfaces, we are eager to resume our lives.  They will be changed, but they will go on. One of the mandates for going out in public is to wear a mask.

The word mask is both a noun and a verb.  As a verb it means to cover or conceal, to shield or protect; as a noun it defines a covering for all or part of the face. In the past, masks were generally used for festive occasions such as Halloween or masquerade balls; or for criminal activity such as robbing a bank, to hide the perpetrator’s identity. It wasn’t too long ago that women of a certain religion were barred from wearing face coverings in public because it was deemed unsafe.  Now we are being told to wear them for our own safety as well as that of others.  Things have certainly changed!

As we begin to open up the economy, we are told to avoid large crowds, wash our hands frequently, and wear masks. Last Saturday masks were distributed to residents of the area at various locations.  I went to the Brighton Town Hall and received a box of fifty from our Town Supervisor–plain white shields made of “thin-bonded non-vertical cloth materials intended for single use general protection of non-medical personnel for epidemic prevention and control in the region.”  MADE IN CHINA was boldly printed on the package.

For Mother’s Day my granddaughters gifted me with two beautiful handmade masks crafted and sold by a tailor right here in our town, right in my neighborhood in fact.  It made me see the opportunity of the current situation–masks as the new designer fashion accessory.

One of my favorite television series is Project Runway, an American reality show  that focuses on fashion design.  The contestants compete with each other to create original outfits, restricted by time, materials and theme. Their designs are judged by a panel, and one or more designers are typically eliminated from the show each week until only a few contestants remain. These finalists prepare complete fashion collections for New York Fashion Week.  After the runway show, the judges choose the winner.  Many of the designers have also added accessories to their outfits.

I was also reminded of Barbara Boggs Sigmund, former Mayor of Princeton, NJ, and a member of one of the nation’s best-known political families. (Her parents were Hale and Lindy Boggs, her sister, Cokie Roberts, and her brother-in-law Steven Roberts, author).  Mrs. Sigmund learned that she had cancer in 1982, when a melanoma was found behind her left eye.  Her eye was subsequently removed.  She was running for public office at the time and surprised everyone by showing up at a fund-raising event hours after checking out of the hospital wearing an eye patch with the words “Vote for Sigmund.”  She won the election and continued to wear patches to match or coordinate with her outfits until her death in 1990.

This is an American moment:  We can accept the foreign made nondescript items or be ingenious and create our own.  I’ve seen several manufacturers promoting the fact that masks can be personalized for corporations and schools, for use as favors to commemorate special occasions, i.e., weddings, retirements, birthdays, anniversaries, or with slogans to promote favorite causes.  They’ve become the new business opportunity. the new fashion accessory.  Imagine the possibilities!

Masks represent just one way of showing American ingenuity in this troubling time.  There are many other lessons to be learned in the quest for solutions.  Let’s hope we can use this time to work together for the benefit of all.  Be safe, be well, wear your mask.  Eventually we will overcome this challenge and be stronger for it.  LovEstelle