The Greatest Show On Earth

I am a relatively humble guy, but even I have to admit – I look simply fantastic these days!  My face is as handsome and manly as ever, and all thanks to the latest fashion statement – the mask.  I know that they will likely cancel and forget about Covid-19 after November, but I am genuinely planning to wear a mask long after all the noise is gone.  The moment I put on a mask, I am transformed into a new man, more confident, more personable and just borderline irresistible!  Some people look cool wearing dark glasses, some need a stylish haircut and top-designer clothing to look their best.  Who would imagine – all I ever needed was a mask, and come to think of it, I’ve never exactly worn one in my entire life; never thought I had anything to hide or protect. 

This year’s Halloween season will prove to be something unique and special, as people scurry to get the most fashionable yet timely masks for themselves and their children.  However, some of the most popular masks may not be available on Amazon and the most fashionable face coverings may not be sold at Walmart.  This October – or possibly even earlier – many people will put on the Mask of Anger, that’s the one we wear when we think the world doesn’t love us quite enough.  We all know the Mask of Affluence, used when displaying the riches that don’t exist and borrowing to pay for a lifestyle we can’t afford.  And the unfortunate majority of us are familiar with the Mask of Happiness, which we wear to pretend things are great in our relationships, while they are anything but.  Want to hear about the Mask of Humor, or the Mask of Perfection?  I am sure you’ve seen plenty of those, quite popular all year round. 

The greatest fear that many of us have is to show the true self.  We are all guilty of masterfully presenting a hand-crafted façade when leaving the safety of our homes.  We present our best to the world, and it’s not an easy task, and most people crumble under its weight, eventually giving up and crying their hearts out to a priest or to a psychologist.  I think it is only with age that we realize that nothing is more valuable than self-acceptance.  We hide emotions and refuse to admit mistakes; we run from our past, but nothing feels more rewarding than to accept who you really are, taking yourself off the hook, unplugging and feeling ‘cool’, because we are all cool in some unique and unknown way.  It may have just been hidden behind the mask for too long.