Masks

In honor of Mardi Gras, the children made masks yesterday.  We had a great time getting creative with feathers, sequins and glue!  I was surprised at the time and care they took in making these masks and the children could hardly wait for the glue to dry and put them on.  Why do we wear masks?  I have to admit, I’ve always loved to dress up and pretend to be someone else (especially on airplanes when I’ll probably never see those people again!)  In college, my roommate and I had “prank names,” mine was Brenda Fagan, and we loved to prank call people late at night (sorry if you were a victim!).  Perhaps it was the actress in me, but I’ve always love to pretend to be someone else for fun.  But masks are different.  The dictionary defines “mask” as, “a covering for all or part of the face, worn to conceal one's identity.”  Something we put on to cover up who we really are.  What would our world be like if people were always their genuine self?  Showing honest insecurities, sorrow, joy, pride, excitement…?  Wouldn’t it be amazing to catch the spark of life from someone who shouted with excitement at the birth of their baby?  Wouldn’t it be awesome to witness the healing of someone who shared their pain boldly?  Wouldn’t it be fulfilling to be in relationship with people who told you they needed you?  A mask is a fun thing to decorate and play with for a bit, but the masks that the world tells us to put on are not fun at all.  Concealing our true self only leads to frustration, emptiness, loneliness and despair.