Are we beating a dead horse? Maybe, but we will keep trying to find words that might sink in, or inspire people to grasp the idea that everyone should be wearing a mask to protect themselves and others.

If we start with the possibility that all people are basically good, we can then move forward to wishes, dreams and Bible quotes. The late, great Alex Trebek would say social truths for $2,000. Do unto others as you would have others do unto you — from Jesus’ sermon on the mount. And the answer would be: Wear a mask.

Or Cinderella might add, “A dream is a wish your heart makes” and the answer is wear a mask. Then, does the Bible give us advice on wearing masks and the answer is found in Mark’s Gospel, the 12th chapter and the 31st verse, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Yep, there it is again — wear a mask.

We are still waiting for anything other than a selfish comment as an acceptable reason not to protect family, friends, and neighbors by the simple act of wearing a mask. Is it inconvenient? Yes, we hate walking back to the car to get the mask before entering a building. Is it uncomfortable? Yes, a four-hour plane ride was almost unbearable in a mask. Is it an aggravation to have someone tell me what to do? Of course. We start hating that as toddlers and continue as teenagers, spouses and then as employees and, finally, senior citizens.

Full cycle of why can’t I do whatever I want to do? The fact is the reason you can’t is that one about the neighbor. If you care about the neighbor, and the neighbor is everyone if you get deeper into the scripture, then you have to consider more than yourself. You have to consider the child in the next booth, the grandpa in the waiting room and cashier ringing up your order. You never know if one of them is at higher risk than you. You never know if the last person you encountered was infected and passed the virus on to you. You just can’t ever be sure.

We aren’t advocating staying home or giving up freedoms and we can already anticipate the silly “sheep” comments coming for those unwilling to practice that neighbor thing. What we are saying is be responsible. Be part of the dream, rather than the nightmare. This pandemic will end, but how soon and after how many lives are lost is up to you and us. You want to wait and hope herd immunity comes into play? Are you OK with survival of the fittest and the sick, elderly and unlucky will just have to die?

We know some people actually feel that way. But most have seen enough of this virus and don’t want to hear any more of the ridiculous comments about it being just the flu or that hospitals and doctors are getting wealthy by faking COVID-19 as the reason people are dying, instead of heart attacks, cancer or even car accidents. Come on guys. This is real and you are the front line. Put on your mask of armor and fight Goliath. Wear that mask.

— NCD