Masks

"O, what may man within him hide, though angel on the outward side!" -Measure for Measure, William Shakespeare

We all wear masks in our lives. We wear the mask of a happily married spouse when we really are miserable. The mask of a confident business man while shaking with fear inside. Then there's the mask of normalcy that hides an evil beneath it. Masks work almost like a grease that lubricates the gears of daily life. They make it a little more bearable. Sometimes, though, they are used to trick and lure others into danger.

This past week, I discovered that one of my fellow bloggers removed his mask. What we all saw underneath was nothing less than a monster. A little over a year ago I started reading what had to be one of the best blogs in the blog world. It was called "Unapologetic Atheist". The author, Robert Richardson, was a gifted writer. He spoke of the things we liberals dream of. I could hardly wait to sit down and read every new entry. It wasn't long before he became famous in the blog world. His blog could be found mentioned in many other's blogger's recommended reading. All was good and he was successful. Then it stopped.

For months, we all waited anxiously for Robert to start blogging again. He had told us that he was moving and would resume his blogging as soon as his internet connection was up and working. We waited and waited. Eventually, I stopped looking for new entries on his blog. Convinced that he had given up blogging. Maybe he was just over it and wanted to pursue something else.

Last week, my questions were answered. There, for all the world to see, was a picture of Robert being held without bond while awaiting his trial. He was HIV positive and had knowingly tried to infect multiple women. He has been charged with "Willingly infecting others with a communicable disease". If you ask me, it should be "Attempted Murder". The whole time he was blogging, he was out looking for victims to infect. He has been HIV positive for years.

I'm still stunned. It's hard for me to think about it. Do any of us know what is beneath the mask of another? Do we trust everyone or no one?

Deanna