Take a look at the picture below. It sums up exactly what life is like now as a grandfather ‘meets’ his grandson for the first time.
Thanks to our new reality of social distancing and coronavirus, he cannot touch him, or hold him, or smell his newborn smell. All he can do is watch him through a window. And this is as good as it gets for now.
“Three generations of social distancing as my dad meets his grandson for the first time,” – Emma
Most of us never imagined this is what life would come to. But here we are, watching the world through our windows, isolated from our loved ones as we wait until it’s safe to open the doors again.
The reality of social distancing
In the photo, Grandpa stands at the window, watching his son, Míchéal Gallachoir hold his newborn infant, Faolán. This is the first meeting between grandchild and grandson and the look on Granddad’s face says it all.
Since Míchéal’s sister Emma posted the photo of Twitter, it’s gone viral for all the right reasons. This touching moment, after all, is a very sad reminder of what life is like now and what life will continue to be like, for most likely months to come.
Born during Coronavirus
The Gallachoirs live just outside Dublin where social distancing is in place across the country. Micheal’s son is just one of the thousands of babies born during this crazy time.
“Our district nurse would come on to sterilise all the clothes that we wore to the hospital,” he told TODAY.
After leaving the hospital, Gallachoir and his wife were advised not to come in contact with anyone. So, instead, grandad came to the window so he could at least get a look at his new grandchild.
In a follow-up post, Emma shared an update on baby Faolán and grandpa, writing, “Baby Faolán is doing great and oblivious to his new fame. My dad is also doing well … he wouldn’t let me take a pic of him but he’s smiling! … He is looking forward to holding the baby soon.”
It’s hard to believe that this is how things are now. That this is our new normal. It’s slower, it’s quieter, it’s lonelier. But it also gives us a chance to be grateful for what we have, to give our natural resources a break and to focus on what matters – our families inside those our walls. And at our windows too.
