An introduction to the column

On Monday, a most obliging News-Herald photographer came to Nansemond Pointe nursing home and took photos of the smallest beauty shop you can imagine. The column following these words tells about the shop and its influence. Here goes:

The curse of womankind. We’d look in crazy places to find it. With us beauty is not in the eye of the beholder. No way! Beauty is what we see in the mirror, and we can even see what no one else would see but always in our favor.

The above is to tell you the tale of a tiny beauty shop. Can’t even make it unique by spelling shop with an extra &uot;pe&uot; and going. It’s not elegant – doesn’t even have a window. Heating it – the dryers are turned on. But elegance isn’t needed. Let me tell you what this shop (no &uot;pe&uot;) does for different people. It’s in a nursing center and caters to the patients, these plus the residents of a retirement center connected to it. Now you’ve assembled for the shop (still no &uot;pe) the worst group of customers for the beautician who runs the shop.

How so?

Here’s why how so: At the nursing center so many are sick with a variety of illnesses. They are neither interested nor care about a beauty shop. They fight being brought in by a nurse. But the beautician has a great way about her. She’s perfect for the job. She begins by telling them they will see beauty come forth when she finishes. guaranteed! Who believes? Not this one – but she’s weak and tired of arguing about this so-called promised beauty. So she gives in, no more struggle! Do what you may! She submits to the urge to get beautiful but doesn’t believe it. One hour later she’s encouraged to finally look in the mirror. It can’t be but it is! She sees many years lifted. She’s not young, but doesn’t look old (her version.)

So the miracle is here. Forgotten are the objections and thinking this beautician is crazy. I’m beautiful. I’m young and I come again and do it all over with no fighting it – just be a lamb (a beautiful one.)

So this tiny shop with no windows gives hope to many whom abandoned it and no one can tell them they aren’t beautiful. They see it for themselves.

Florence Arena is a resident of Hillcrest Retirement Center and a regular News-Herald columnist.