According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), masks “prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.” But to me, a mask is so much more than that.

With such a timely entrance, our Marist Way theme for this school year is Ardent Love of Neighbor. One of the simplest ways to practice this daily is by wearing a mask. Because no matter how stylish you look with your mask, we do not wear it for ourselves; we wear it for others. While wearing a mask does offer some protection to the wearer, the main purpose of masks, according to infectious disease specialist Peter Chin-Hong, MD, is for the prevention of “giving COVID-19 to other people.”

For me, I wear a mask to protect my grandparents. I wear a mask for you, for your mothers, for your fathers, for your siblings, for your colleagues, for your teachers, and for your friends. I wear a mask because I have hope for a better tomorrow.

I view the act of wearing a mask not as a burden but an act of love. Your mask let your neighbors know that you care about them. Of course, there are challenges that come along with the new mask wearing fashion trend of 2020. We are having to now smile with our eyes and can no longer read people’s lips across the classroom. Masks can fog up your glasses, be uncomfortable on occasion, and muffle our voices. But, masks also save lives. 

“Love is about choices: it means prioritizing your well-being over my comfort and convenience,” said Marist Seminarian Nik Rodewald. He also sees wearing his mask as an act of love. “It’s saying ‘I’m choosing to prioritize your health over the comfort of breathing normally or the joy I receive from sharing a smile and a hug.’”

For senior Kathryn Taylor, she wears a mask because “[she] wants everyone around [her] to always feel safe.” When she worked at Chick-Fil-A this past summer, “it always made [her] feel safer when a customer took the time to put on a mask” before ordering from the drive-thru.

Whatever your reason, thank you. Thank you for masking up, War Eagles. Thank you for wearing your mask out of love for your neighbors.