This late afternoon, as the sun was setting, I went for a walk along the boardwalk near my home. I had a coffee with me that came from a local shop. I took my mask off to drink and walk at the same time. As my mask came off, I instantly felt colder, as if the ambient temperature had dropped several degrees suddenly.
While my coffee was delicious and I wanted to savour it and not just chug it, I admit a part of me was looking forward to putting my mask back on. I’ve been wearing my mask outside all the time now, so I’ve had very few instances where I can compare what is was like to be exposed to the winter elements with a bare face. It does make a considerable difference. It didn’t just feel like my face was freezing now, it felt like my whole body was colder.
I suppose this isn’t going be some sorta world-changing revelation. Who knew putting a piece of fabric over exposed skin would make you feel warmer? That’s why we wear clothes after all, right? I guess if there is some surprise here, it’s that such a relatively small surface area that the mask covers can make you feel so much warmer.
I know that all of us can’t wait for this pandemic to end, so no one can catch this virus anymore, and we don’t have to wear masks anymore. When that happens, I think all of us should look into continuing to covering our faces for warmth during the winter.