Page 33 - voices-2021-11

Is it funny that some of us would rather go
through this pandemic with style? I’m honestly
not sure what to make of it at times. At one of

our rehearsals, a friend of mine wore a sparkly
mask that I admittedly wanted for myself. But
then I thought, would it look odd on the streets
or in a shopping mall? Who knows? The fact is,

I wanted something with sequins for myself.
My friend informed me of the website that he
purchased his mask on. As of now, I’ve yet to buy bit feels absolutely terrifying. Yet the more we
one. Part of it is simply that I don’t need the extra speak in front of others, we realize that the

masks right now; I’ve got more than enough in masks we wear are the same things that hold
my home. The other part I think about is how us back from true communication with other
vain it might appear to someone else, or maybe it people. Yes, it’s easy to want people to like us,
could make me a target for a person who thought and the mask we wear in order to allow people

I looked weird. to get closer to us may give us a false sense of
Maybe I’m simply overthinking it. Certainly security. But letting that mask drop away, while
there are fashion designers and others who are it may make us vulnerable in the short run, can
creating their own spin on masks, and that’s just lead to a greater sense of community and trust

fine. The truth is, regardless of our social status that benefits both parties in the end.
or economic situation, we need a way to voice While there are many ways to live with
our discontent. Too often we cover it in rosier wearing a social mask, I don’t know that I’ll
terms even in the midst of great tragedy. If our ever find a way to be fully comfortable wearing

masks, both physical and emotional, that we wear a more solid mask in a pandemic. But in either
in public are meant to protect us, they also have instance, it’s worth noting that at least you can
a tendency to hide our pain. beautify both types of masks a bit to make them
When crafting a speech, oftentimes the hook more bearable. It’s finding the way in learning to

to our speech itself is our mask. Here is how we be comfortable taking off the mask that makes
garner your attention, folks. Don’t I look pretty? all the difference.
Don’t these sequins look lovely? If this is our
first speech, letting that mask slip even a little

VOICES! | NOVEMBER 2021 33