MASKS AND OTHER COVERINGS

   I have to tell you a story that you will appreciate because it has a lot of human value.  It came to me ysterday as I was re-instituting the "365 Thoughts" relationship during the time of facial coverings.  I showed you my face, not anywhere nearly as fetching as the one above, but the seed for this story.  

Some years ago the Voice from the Kitchen and I had the precious opportunity to attend a Biblical Study seminar in Jerusalem.  It was scheduled for a full month and included classroom work as well as onsite visit with scholars dedicated to Holy Land studies.  It so happened that the site of our home base was on the border of the state of Israel and Bethlehem in the Palestinian Authority.  During our stay, we crossed th walled-off border fairly often.  The crossing took place in a zig-zag baffle of walls with a series of circular waiting halls. This place was the one that provided the easiest way for the university students from Bethlehem to get to the University of Jerusalem.

On this one particular day, there we were among what ws about a dozen students, men and women.  Men on one walland women on another and we "tourists"somewhere in the middle.  Males chatting with males and women, covered but for their eyes, having their brand of conversation among themselves. I remember that there were five of us, three from USA and to from Australia.

Then it happened.  Two male students came down the ramp and into the circle.  One was a mere 5'10" human.  The other was a Greek God, 6' 2", stars for eyes, a sunrise smile, wavy hair with not a single wayward strand.  I am here to tell you that not a single one of us 5 had any doubt about what the girls were feeling at the moment of this apparition.  The world was camping in their eyes.  Yes, we mere mortals talked about it on the way to our quarters and I for one have never forgotten it.  In fact I see the same phenomenon now that so many of us are wearing masks to cover all but our eyes these days.  

Despite the face covering, we recognize one another; we feel the smiles of those with whom we connect; we know who is bewildered and who is not, especially in the market place. In short, our eyes are the window into our soul.  I heard that from my grandfather when I was a little boy.  I lived it that day in the denumanizing environment of a harsh checkpoint when eyes lit up and we were all humans for a few blessed moments.