So, What Exactly Do We Know?
Rivki D. Rosenwald Esq., LMFT, CLC, SDS
These days, we are either masked and manic-
Or cavalier and cavorting!
Science schmi-ence?!
No one seems to know anything!
If you didn’t have it, you don’t want it!
Unless, you want to get it over with. But, that’s only if you are not going to visit anyone who you’re nervous you might give it to.
They used to say, caring is sharing!
Now it’s, caring is disappearing!!!
We are no smarter than we were in March, when we were celebrating Purim, and wearing masks for a very different reason.
Or ….
Was it the same reason?
A recognition that things aren’t as they seem?!
We still don’t know if we are wearing the masks to protect us from the other guy or the other guy from us?!
Mostly, I can guarantee, we are wearing them to protect ourselves and anyone else from recognizing each other. No one looks familiar. Basically, a pair of eyeballs says hello to you!
Clearly the old saying “clothing makes the man (or woman)”, just doesn’t hold true! Because, no matter what anyone is wearing, everyone, seems to be having difficulty knowing who they are saying hello to, or not saying hello to.
Apparently, a nose and mouth make the man or woman, way more than the outfit!
And is it worth smiling?
A complete waste of effort?!
Who sees it? Who knows it? Who can even detect it. Why bother?!
Unless, you embrace the “science” that says it reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and reduces pain. All good things! And here are 2 more worthwhile outcomes that could really help these days, if you believe the science. Smiling increases endurance and strengthens the immune system! With those two needed resources, smiling actually, begins to seem well worth the effort.
Anyway, why not? There aren’t that many other options to keep you busy behind that mask. After all, you can’t resort to the old favorite eating or drinking!
Though, since your hidden away anyway, this could be an ideal time to covertly express all those angry feelings. The ones you’ve been repressing for years. Maybe you can gnash your teeth or stick your tongue out behind your mask when someone who always upset you goes by. But-Good luck recognizing them anyway!!!
Can you remember when we were disinfecting every delivery box, and mail, and groceries? Those were the good old days in March and April and May. After all, if we were going to be to locked up, with so little to do, that was a great way to keep us busy.
But now they’ve given us bigger things to be busy with. More intellectual then physical though. Figuring out for ourselves what in the world is going on. Because, no one seems to have a clue!
You avoid the Dr’s office, cause you don’t want to get sick. So, to find out if you have a temperature, you need to go to the hairdresser. Cause, they won’t allow you in without taking a quick reading.
If you’re choking on a crumb of bread, you better teach yourself the Heimlich maneuver, cause no one will get near a coughing person.
If you lose taste and smell, you may not enjoy one morsel of food, but you’re considered lucky, cause you’ve found the most rapid Covid test available.
If you experience stomach issues, you may be just having stomach issues. But you may be navigating the ‘corona extreme diet plan’ which makes any diet alternative feel like a picnic after that.
And, if you have a blasting headache it could be a symptom. But I’d venture it’s more likely a headache from just trying to figure all this out!
Yes, we are months into our new normal.
For some perhaps more normal than others. And for some less so. But, one thing is quite clear to everyone.
Nothing, at all, is quite clear!!!!
Rivki Rosenwald is a certified relationship counselor, and career and life coach. She can be contacted at 917-705-2004 or rivkirosenwald@gmail.com
