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Per Paige Campbell Johns on FB:
Three general ground rules for interacting with people right now.
1) Make plans very specific and avoid changing them at the last minute.
2) Defer to the most cautious person.
3) Do not take it personally if someone is more cautious than you.
Three general ground rules for interacting with people right now.
1) Make plans very specific and avoid changing them at the last minute.
2) Defer to the most cautious person.
3) Do not take it personally if someone is more cautious than you.
Trying to make decisions on the fly is incredibly stressful. The split-second after being told that the location or the menu has changed is not a good scenario for evaluating risk, especially with an audience. Don't put people in that position.
If you don't wear a mask but you notice your co-worker tends to, put on a mask when you are going to be near them. Their mask usage is a clear indicator they think mask usage is important. Match that caution as a courtesy, whether or not you acknowledge the value of wearing one.
Look for body language. Get in the habit of noticing whether people are inching away/leaning back. This tells you they aren't comfortable. They are more cautious than your instincts. That doesn't mean you are wrong. But in the presence of this person, you need to defer to theirs.
Some people are approaching the world with an understanding that there are essentially two groups of people: the ones I live with, and everyone else. I do not and cannot know whether you are carrying a potentially deadly, poorly understood, highly contagious virus.
I'm going to behave like you are carrying it, no matter who you are. It is more nuanced than that but not much. The point is, even if you're not careless, the relative you just met for lunch yesterday might have been careless over the weekend. I do not, and cannot know.
If someone says no thanks to your invite or they wear a mask in a situation you find unnecessary, it's really, truly, not about you. People want to interact with the world, and some never stop thinking about how to do it right in this not-at-all right world we find ourselves in.
I hope these are ideas people can agree to. I hope that, even if you are tired of modifying your behavior, or skeptical about the seriousness of this virus, you will consider these thoughts with a spirit of kindness.
I hope, if you have kids, you will talk to them about how their behavior can not only affect other people's physical health, but also their emotional well-being while trying to navigate many decisions.
Thanks for reading. Be good to each other. Stay safe. Deep breaths.
Thanks for reading. Be good to each other. Stay safe. Deep breaths.
