Have you got a minute for a story? Every once in a while, something happens that just has to be shared.

Unless you’re living under a rock, you know that Maine is now under an Executive Order that requires facemasks to be worn unless you are on your own property.

If you’ve recently attended a “live” class or workshop I’ve taught, you also know that I suffer from COPD and allergies. That’s not a complaint, it’s just a statement of fact to explain why I occasionally have trouble breathing and may cough–even if I’m not wearing a facemask. I don’t have COVID-19 but wearing a facemask causes me discomfort, reduces my oxygen absorption and makes teaching difficult.

During the second class I taught after the Executive Order was announced, one of my adult students (we’ll call her “D”) disappeared for a few moments. She returned from a quick trip to her vehicle with the explanation she had something for me but would need to assemble it. The smile she wore was both intriguing and telling.

Ultimately, D presented me with the face-covering pictured here together with an explanation that her employer was using them and they were also being widely used in restaurants and food prep areas.

It wasn’t long before I was smiling with her. “I can breathe!” I announced to the class. Several replied “And we can see your smile now!”

I no longer had to deal with my glasses fogging.

If there was a questionable side-affect it was that the shield reflected my voice and my hearing aids seemed to increase the volume of my voice. They and I both adjusted rather quickly.

I wanted to share the story because the student’s kindness deserves recognition.

I also need to confess that I must have been living under a rock because I wasn’t aware such a thing exists! That’s why I’m even willing to demonstrate that I have no future as a male model to share it with my colleagues or anyone who teaches. There’s a bracket that sits on my chin, keeping the shield properly spaced… the shield itself extends above my nose. I actually find myself forgetting I have it on! D pointed out that I could slip a straw up through the bracket and drink without removing it!

Of course you’ll need to clean it at the end of the day. That’s actually an advantage because it’s a whole lot easier than washing a cloth mask or “overusing” a disposable mask.

Since my blog posts end up on social media, I will note that this is not an invitation to an argument. If you don’t like the idea of the device, don’t use it. If you are tempted to attack me for using it, bear in mind, that I would likely qualify for a medical exemption from wearing a mask at all. So wearing this device is “going above” the CDC’s “recommendation.”

Every once in a while we might want to think about the word “tolerance.” It’s a pretty important concept if we intend to live, work, and learn together.

Every once in a while we might want to emulate D by demonstrating kindness and helping to solve someone else’s problem.