Masks for Safety

I am not one to write about myself or anything that I give to anyone. I don’t like getting a lot of thank you’s for something that I’ve given. I don’t know why but it embarrasses me. I know the receiver of what I’ve given only meant to show their appreciation but one ‘thank you’ or ‘I appreciate this’ is enough. Not the constant expression of gratitude everytime I repeat the gesture.

I know this sounds weird especially since I am writing about goods deeds - something that i would consider have made a difference, at least for me and some of the volunteers in our parish.

You see because of the pandemic, the idea of making my own mask interested me. In June of 2020, I, willy nilly, cut a mask pattern from a table cloth that I meant to use for my husband’s 50th birthday. I took and cut a piece of fabric from a shirt to make the inner lining of the mask. I then use elastics from pajamas I no longer use, handsew evertyhing and came up with my first ever creation!

Later that day, I showed this creation to my sisters and husband. They told me to make more!

My husband has a portable sewing machine which had been collecting dust in our basement. I immediately asked him to show me how to sew since I’ve already forgotten. The first and only time I have made something using a sewing machine was when I created those cloth bags for my son’s craft classs. That was it!

My husband suggested we visit Fabricland to buy fabrics and elastics. Oh my God! I was hooked! I’ve bought fabrics and elastics almost every week and have made masks for tons of people!

I made and gave masks to my sisters and tell them to let me know if people start asking where they are from. And so they’ve started telling me that their officemates wanted some, and their friends wanted some, and so on and so forth.

When the CoVid restrictions eased up a bit to allow Church in person worship, our liturgy head asked who can make masks for volunteers so I immediately offered my services.

When our Church created a virtual yard sale, I again offered to make masks as part of the church fundraiser.

I have made and given out thousands of masks already. And I am not done.

Not to brag about all these, but I just want to let people know that small things make a difference.

Everytime I see the people who use the masks that I made, I feel a sense of worthiness, a sense of belongingness, a sense of gratitude that I am part of a world where people take care of each other.

For this, I am glad.