As the weeks go by and we are each sheltered in place, forced to shut our business doors and isolated from friends and family we love, I have begun to see the softer side of this damn pandemic.

We know of the horrors and sadness associated with sickness and deaths, but this blog will not touch on those heart wrenching issues. I am reaching out to you with my personal experience and an observation associated with the bravery and collective nature of our industry.

I’ll begin with my own experience. During my isolation with my Mom who is 76 and not in good health, I have witnessed her stress in dealing with the fact that she cannot get out and go to a store or see her Son. These are the activities that keep her going in her “normal daily life”. For me, I now work from home and spend most days on video conference calls, researching and taking care of Perma Blend’s daily business. I am sure we are all feeling stress in our own ways for many different reasons and perhaps this is what has brought us together.

My observation of the softer side of this pandemic; and I say the softer side only from the perspective that I see change that is noteworthy. Something is happening to us as a PMU community. Something that I have spoken about in the past, had glimpses of in the past, had wished for and even dared to dream of. It is the softening of women and men in the PMU community. I have witnessed a coming together in a way I have not seen before.

I see each person bringing to the table what they can in order to share and gather information to support others who are experiencing the same struggle. There is a wonderful sense of togetherness that I have not witnessed in a long time. The sense of competition has lifted and we are one community, caring for and supporting each other like I’ve never seen before.

Great ideas, are being presented, distant learning classes are being offered, Instagram live interviews are taking place with industry people sharing their hearts and ideas. There is a great generosity invigorating us that has become contagious, and as with the spread of the C word, it is spreading at a remarkable rate affecting all of us that will allow their guards down and vulnerabilities and strengths to be seen. Dare I say, welcome to the new norm!!!???? What a dream it would be to have an industry where we actually nurture each other, knowing that there is enough for everyone and that we do not have to diminish the accomplishments of others in order to feel good about ourselves.

I applaud you, PMU community! I applaud you for rising to the top, for showing what a remarkable community we truly are and for nurturing and helping one another through this unprecedented time in the history of the Permanent Cosmetic Industry, as it should be!!!!