Jane Bonvillain (@SC_Gracie)

I had an interesting and liberating experience earlier this evening at a local Publix in LHP (Beacon Light Shoppes). As I was picking up a few things I noticed this beautiful, really fit woman as I was going down the dairy aisle. Our eyes met but she could not see the "Janie"-smile I give to people when I make eye contact due to the dang mask. I saw her again over by the Orange Juice and realized there was something VERY ODD about her: She wasn't wearing a mask! WHAT? This was the first time in our little LHP bubble that I saw someone at a Publix not wearing a mask. Anyone who knows me, knows I don't hesitate to talk to people / strangers, so I said to her, "Excuse me, I see you're not wearing a mask and I just want to say thank you." With that, I pulled off my ineffective, restrictive mask and she and I began a brief conversation. As we made our way to the checkout, we did not go into any specifics about the why or why-nots of wearing a mask. I learned she is a local business owner and is fed-up. There was an unspoken, immediate connection ..something like "the spirit knows the spirit." Courage is contagious. She .. one person... walked into that Publix not wearing a mask. Then, there were two people that walked out of that Publix not wearing a mask. Maybe tomorrow there will be three or four additional people. Let me repeat: COURAGE IS CONTAGIOUS. Try it friends. #CourageIsContagious #FedUp #Liberty