The good news is ‘no more masks.’ The bad news is ‘no more masks.’ Every business is now reassessing their masking requirements and deciding how to proceed. Should they take down their signage? Should they stop with the spray disinfectants? Can they pry those social distancing footprints off the tile floor?

And here we all sit with our myriad of face mask selections. We have cotton turtles, hyacinths, and coffee bean varieties that came as Holiday stocking stuffers. We have no-nonsense “Inspiring Health” reminders from our health insurance providers. We have the home-made gift selections that match us as a couple when we are out shopping. We have the clinic-sanctioned “blue-foldies” that were disposable—which we never seemed able to toss in the trash—just in case…

Walmart—the pioneering vendor—says as of Tuesday they will trust their vaccinated shoppers, not ask for proof of vaccination, and let them shop mask-less. Their employees will have to state they are vaccinated during their regular employee health care screening at the start of each shift. And, of course, each worker may continue to wear a mask if they so choose.

So where does that leave us? We all long to return to what we used to think of as normal. But now the mask reminders are everywhere: hanging by the door on the key ring holder, stuffed in the cup holders in each vehicle, tucked in the purse or jacket pocket. And even new habits are difficult to break. We seem to have grown so accustomed to wearing them, it is a comfort to see them stacked by the door. I think we will hang on to them like old friends…for a little while longer.