It felt like I had been walking up a hill, my chest was tight and the breathing was heavy.  So I started to really think about it, how could I adjust what I was doing to make the breathing easier.  I couldn’t.  It was frustrating, particularly as I have lost a bit of weight and walking up hills is now so much easier than it had been.  But I wasn’t walking up a hill, I hadn’t changed elevations, I wasn’t even walking that much.  All I was doing was teaching a class, wearing a mask.

We’ve been wearing masks for over a year now, and as I’m in education, it is expected in schools and in my little cubicle if others are close by.  I wear it when I go into a place of business or a place to eat, and it’s really not that big a deal.  When I go into schools to observe, I usually take a seat in the back of the room where I can watch things, but I’m not having to actually teach.  In fact, the only teaching I’ve had to do, I’ve done through Zoom.  No difficulty breathing there.  But here I was, doing a couple of little keynotes with our new teachers and I was breathing like I was running a marathon.  All because of a mask.  How in the world have our teachers been doing this all day, every day for this entire school year?

I have to admit, I had no idea.  Oh sure, I had read about teachers having difficulty – difficulty understanding and being understood because of those masks, some sharing that they have trouble breathing.  It is one thing to read about it, it is another to experience it.  You wouldn’t think talking is that big a deal, but it is.  Teachers talk a lot when teaching.  Music teachers, especially vocal teachers, not only talk, but sing.  And elementary general music teachers not only talk and sing, but they move and dance and play instruments while they’re singing.  Thank goodness I’m not doing that this year – I’m thinking it’s best left to the young people.  I could imagine myself having to stop and sit in a chair occasionally, waving at the kids while telling them, “go ahead!  I’ll join you in a little bit….”.  Where’s a rocking chair when you need it!

Of course, it’s not just educators who are my heroes here.  How many other people in other professions are having to wear a mask all day, every day and still do their job as though nothing has changed?  You know, I’ve watched students, the youngest in Kindergarten, just wearing their masks in class, following directions as best they can, doing their jobs as though they’ve been doing it since birth.  I see more old men wearing their masks under their noses then I do Kinders.  The other day I saw a gentleman wearing what I would have to describe as a nose mask.  The mask was too small for his face so all it covered was his nose! 

And who knew masks would become a fashion accessory.  Well, if you’ve got it, flaunt it, I always say.  So after living with nothing but black masks, I invested in some fancy, designer masks to brighten up my often all black ensembles.  They’re great for that little splash of color in your wardrobe.  I love that they cover up my face to where you can’t see the little zits that pop up now and again.  The same zits the mask probably helped create….

My son has recently begun a job where he has to wear his mask the whole day – 11 hours.  His first comment when he came home the first day was that he never realized how bad his breath was and hoped nobody else could smell it.  Being the kind person he is, he now takes a giant bottle of mouthwash with him to keep in his car to use during breaks and after lunch.  I too have noticed it and keep those Altoids handy, but have noticed that I can’t smell anything when I’m talking to others wearing masks, so maybe I don’t have to worry about it, as long as I can deal with my own questionable breath.

While we’re talking about talking, can we talk about enunciating?  I’m so glad I was taught as a vocalist to enunciate.  I naturally kick right in to getting those consonants nice and crispy and focus on those vowel sounds.  Very seldom do I get asked to repeat something.  However, I do have to wonder how other friends make it during the day, speaking the way they normally do.  My trumpet playing husband, who has never had to really enunciate because his trumpet does all his talking for him, is met with constant “can you repeat that” and “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand you”.  I do wonder about my southern friends, whose lovely southern drawl is likely swirling around inside that mask, making everything they say turn to mush.  It’s a sad thing.  

I know that this won’t last forever and perhaps this mask has saved me from getting Covid at some point in the last year or more.  I do know I didn’t catch a cold or flu all year, so no bronchitis for the first time in I can’t tell you how long.  One day I’ll be able to sit with my grandchildren and tell how I had to wear a mask during a pandemic…. oh nevermind.  I’ve actually worn a mask with them during the pandemic.  And they’ll be able to share with their grandchildren how they wore a mask with their grandmother during a pandemic and how we had to huff and puff while talking at school.