Wearing mask a small, worthy sacrifice

I want to take a moment to speak frankly and honestly with the community. No jokes, no pun, just a simple plea to anyone who reads this. As of July 2, over 2.74 million people in American have been diagnosed with the coronavirus. Of that, more than 130,000 people have died.

A pandemic is an experience that most everyone alive today has never had to face and will hopefully not have to face again in their lifetime. With that I understand that people are scared, confused and reaching for any sense of control in the face of an invisible enemy.

With the upmost frustration I have seen that everyday people have been given tools to fight this -- social distancing and a mask -- and I have seen people reject these tools.

This disease is not a matter of politics or where someone stands on a party line. It has killed indiscriminately throughout the world. Every previous notion of the disease effecting only the old, in only cold climates and only the weak has been shattered.

With the knowledge we now have of how this viral infection spreads, people are being asked for the bare minimum to help protect the most vulnerable of our commu

nity.I can say with pride that Nebraska has not behaved like some states when it has comes to wearing masks. We’ve not had people throwing tantrums in stores and assaulting essential workers, though even I will admit that I’m not perfect at it either. I’m still getting used to the concept and sometimes my mask gets left on the kitchen counter.

It is at that time as an adult that I can then make the choice to not go to stores until I know I can do so safely. Yes it’s inconvenient, but so is forcing someone to watch a loved one die because I couldn’t wait to buy a gallon of milk.

I know they are not comfortable. I know they are hot and they make talking difficult, but if we only sacrifice this small thing then lives can be saved.

Nobody is asking us to go to war to save our country. We can save our people by simply covering our nose and mouth -- a very small sacrifice indeed.

In this current landscape it can be dangerous to ask someone to wear a mask or to actually cover their nose with their mask, but it is all of our responsibilities to be better and do better.

Let us rise up to the challenge of protecting those around us, so that no one else has to be filled with fear and worry over their or their family’s health.

We can be the change and we can fight this disease together, but only by all uniting in this effort of wearing masks and keeping our distance.

There are some people who might not like that thought, who might think that masks are dangerous or a conspiracy, but we know doctors wear masks all day without suffering ill consequences.

Even if the virus was not what we thought, why would anyone risk the lives of their loved ones? If simply putting a mask over your face could spare someone untold suffering and fear, why would you not do that?

Neighbors, friends and family members have been lost to this disease in our own county, and the longer we fight the guidelines the longer we will have to be separated.

The people who read this and agree with me are probably not the ones that I’m hoping to sway. To those who read this and think I’m being dramatic or misinformed I just ask of you to please do the right thing. Wearing a mask might not protect you, but the person you protect could be me, someone’s child or your own family. If we all pull together and wear masks we can stand united and safe.

JENI MOELLENBERNDT can be reached at features@ hamilton.net