Wearing a mask

does have an effect on the way we communicate with other people.

"I can't tell what people are really thinking," someone on my regular pedalling route told me yesterday. I had stopped to drop off some empty jars for her marmalade making. My plan had been to just leave them at the gate as she requested but she was collecting her bin from the curb so we chatted for a moment.  

Knowing she is quite deaf I had stopped a suitable distance from her but looked at her so she could see what I was saying as well. Yes, I know it is a problem for people like her. I think (and certainly hope) there is more awareness in the community about the difficulties people like her face when people are wearing face masks.

But it does affect the way other people communicate with each other too. I have noticed that conversations in public places tend to be much shorter when people are wearing face masks. Some people seem to be more impatient too. A friend asked me, "Why is it like that when we are face to face but it doesn't seem to happen when we are talking on the phone? We can't see faces then." That's an interesting question too.  

When I go in to see the Senior Cat I have to wear a mask. In his room I remove it so he can see what I am saying. That is within the rules but the staff working there are supposed to keep their masks on. The Senior Cat can understand some of the staff, not others. Those who come from other language backgrounds and for whom English is a second language are the most difficult for him to understand. He would find them difficult to understand anyway but he admits he loses a lot when he is unable to see their faces. He is getting far more information than people realise from being able to see not just their lips but their entire face.

I know I am relying more on people's eyes to judge how they are feeling or might be reacting to what I am saying. As another friend complained to me, "You can't see a smile behind a mask!"

You need to work harder at communicating when someone is wearing a face mask. I know that. But I also know that people often wear other masks. They aren't always visible. They hide all sorts of emotions. I hope that all this physical mask wearing has reminded me of the emotional masks we all wear so often. That "Are you okay?" question seems even more important right now.