How do you sanitize a bowling ball? There is no implied criticism in asking this question. I’m just asking because there is a sincere need here to understand.

I don’t bowl. My husband used to and was on a championship bowling team at one time in his life. But that was then. As Grandmama used to ask my brother, “If Vince Nelson jumps off the roof of a building, does that mean you have to do it, too?”

It’s possible to have drive-in church services, but if drive-in bowling is available, it hasn’t come to my ears.

Coronavirus has not gone away, and although there is ample evidence the public thinks it has, we are not magically protected.

Masks can be uncomfortable. I get that. But we should wear them anyway.

And if just one person in a group of 10 has the virus, the small number in that group is no guarantee of immunity. Unless you’ve already had it, and we can’t even be sure of that.

The virus isn’t like the mumps or measles. There is a vaccine for those diseases..

And if you know someone suffering from either of these diseases, you know they are easily transmitted and you don’t knowingly expose yourself. You also get the appropriate vaccinations for your children at the recommended times.

If one person on the internet sends out messages telling you not to pay any attention to protecting the health of your family, do you immediately tell everybody you run into that we don’t have to worry about taking precautions because there’s nothing to it?

If you have a friend or family member who has contracted the virus you know that isn’t true, but it baffles me as to why anyone still really thinks that.

But the evidence is widespread and there for everyone to see. More than half of the people seen in grocery stores in our own county are unmasked. And they also don’t think it is necessary to stay six feet away from others. The reason? They may think there’s some magic out there that protects them. Maybe they think common-sense precautions are for other people, but not for them.

We voted. We wore masks. Most of the others voting at our precinct were unmasked, and many were certainly not socially distancing.

While there, we saw an old friend who I had always thought of as being a pretty smart cookie. He had brought his elderly mother with him to vote. Neither wore masks.

I asked, “Where’s your mask?” He said, “Oh, there’s not anything to worry about.”

I said, “So, we’re protecting you, but you’re not going to protect us?”

He smiled and shook his head.

We have two family members who have this now. One is extremely ill indeed with a temperature of 104. The other’s illness is serious, but not so far as bad. We hope and pray it gets no worse.

So, please think about this. Please. Just because it may be uncomfortable and inconvenient to wear a mask when you go out, is your comfort and convenience more important than another person’s life?

It isn’t just about you. Love your neighbor. Wear a mask.