//How wearing masks will change us

How wearing masks will change us

What does wearing a mask do to a person? | Getty Images

Wearing a mask all the time affects how we interact with each other. But how?

On our daily walk, my small dog barked at a big dog, and I did what I always do: smile meaningfully, in a manner I hope communicates “she’s friendly!” and “I’m sorry!” and “I don’t think that was an appropriate response, either!” but then I realized I was masked. How did the big dog’s companion feel about it? I couldn’t tell. He was also masked. I worried a woman with a poodle was mad at me for allowing my dog to sniff her dog. “You can see it in her eyes!” I told my boyfriend. “No,” he said. “You can’t.”

Masks mean something is wrong; we’re wearing them because things are not okay. For a while,