The start of 2020 has not been an easy one. Together, not just as a nation but as a whole planet, we are fighting the battle of our lives. There are internet memes joking about what we thought our apocalypse outfits would look like versus what they actually do look like. The imagined scenario is, of course, a fitted garment, dirty and ripped in all the right places, a lot like you. But in fact, what we’re working with is more like jammies and bed hair… not a rippling muscle in sight. It’s all Netflix marathons and 87 trips to the fridge, not Zombieland like we were all thinking.
In this apocalypse, unlike Zombieland, cardio is not rule #1. Washing your hands is. Staying home runs a close second. Just chilling out…it’s harder than it looks.
One interesting thing that is coming out of all this social isolation, is the simple “back to basics” nature of our lives right now. Everything has slowed to a crawl, and we have a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the people we love…what they really mean to us. Social media has become something of a lifeline for many, and though a lot of the news is scary and frustrating, many great things are being posted too. New groups are forming, offering people a chance to stay connected, and the good news that individuals share seems to proliferate quickly. We need uplifting stories to counteract all the negative, and we’ve certainly gotten that in a heartwarming photograph that’s been making the rounds lately.
“You Don’t See Things Like This Every Day”
In the sweet photograph, these 92-year-old lovebirds are sheltering in place at home. He is applying hair dye to her roots while they hang out in the kitchen. It’s a striking photograph, maybe because these kinds of things are usually left to the professionals. Even when we love someone and we’ve been with them for years, personal grooming and things of that nature often happen behind closed doors. I’m reminded of the phrase about everyone liking sausage…but no one really wants to know how the sausage is made. It’s something of a reversal of the social distancing we’re dealing with now. We always leave home to do those things. We get the pros to handle it…far from prying eyes. But now that the social distancing order is to stay away from hairdressers, not husbands, this man is more than up for the challenge. Grandson Yael Shapira Avraham posted the photo to Facebook with the caption: “These are my grandparents, 92 years old (may we be healthy). In every situation, my grandfather is worried that my grandmother will feel well-groomed. You don’t see things like this every day.”
Heartwarming Photograph Lights Up The Internet
As you might expect, the internet has fallen in love with these two. It’s such a simple act of kindness and caring, calling to mind what true love is all about. What this time of isolation can teach us about our own humanity. All he wants for her is to feel pretty and put together. He was happy to make that happen for her just because he loves her. I suspect he loves her with or without roots, but that’s not the point of the exercise. The point was to make her feel happy, and loved, and pretty. I’d say mission accomplished.
