Wearing Masks

 

“Wear a mask; it is acceptable,”

“Cover up and look presentable,”

These messages we are made to learn,

They say being unmasked is cause for concern.

 

So, we have been going around wearing masks,

Keeping distance and going about our tasks,

Masking the issues and less-than-perfect lives,

Playing hero as fragile beings in disguise.

 

Living behind the masquerade everyday,

On the 9-5 grind pretending to be okay,

Trying to fix everything but feeling broken,

Mouths covered, isolated and reality unspoken.

And the truth of it all is not even known,

When a mask is on, real emotions are not shown,

We suck it up and put on a brave face,

But wish we could take it off in a safe space.

 

The very thought to unmask is uncomfortable;

Baring it all means we become vulnerable,

To put our emotions out on our sleeve,

What if they don’t care, misunderstand or leave?

They say true strength is appearing to be strong,

And that’s the lie we’ve believed for so long,

Putting on an appearance in the form of a mask,

It seems the normal thing to do, no questions asked.

 

Truth be told all things must come to an end,

Sometimes one decision can determine when,

You just reach that stage when enough is enough,

Life is not always roses, sometimes the going gets tough;

 

So we can make this decision-day,

And challenge everything we heard them say.

We may be uncertain but God will show us how,

The best time for unmasking is here and now.

By Jakita Yearwood (Attorney-at-Law)

This beautiful and relatable poem was written by my best friend and sister in Christ. She highlights the wearing of masks in the fight against Covid-19, metaphorically represents the masks that some people wear daily in the form of hiding struggles and issues behind a forced smile and the generic answer of “I’m fine.”

As with Covid-19, wearing an emotional mask seems to be acceptable to protect us from vulnerability and this is something we have been taught from childhood. However, wearing any type of mask makes it more difficult to breathe, speak and show emotion.

If social media is any indication, we have been conditioned to think that only the rosy aspects of life should be shared. However, there’s a proverb that goes, “Joy shared is doubled and sorrow shared is halved.”

Strength is being real that you don’t have all the answers, that trials are a part of life and that in the midst of every battle you are an overcomer through Christ!

John 16:33 

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

James 5:16

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”

Disclaimer: This is NOT a directive to rebel and stop wearing masks in public. Please continue to wear your physical masks as they help to protect yourself and others from Covid-19. God bless you! 🙂