Just when we think we've got it all under control, life has a way of ripping the rug right out from under us. It may be as simple as our car breaking down at the worst possible time (it's always when we have somewhere we really need to be).
It could be a little more frustrating like getting slapped with surprise bills that'll make us dip into our savings. But there's one kind of disaster that's the hardest to come back from.
It's the news we're all afraid of hearing one day. It's the worst-case-scenario. It's when a medical disaster hits and the odds aren't in our favor. Which is exactly what happened to this one couple when they were told after 63 years together, they would have to band together for the fight of their life.
How this one husband chose to "support" his wife, took the internet by storm.
After 63 Years Together Cancer Threatened To Take Everything From Them
Old photobooth strip of Nana and Papa@jennjensc/TikTok
When long-term couple "Nana" and "Papa" learned Nana had cancer, they didn't hesitate to start treatment.
Chemotherapy is no joke, but no amount of reassurance can prepare someone for the uphill battle they are about to climb. One of the first daunting obstacles a woman under going chemotherapy must face? Losing their hair. While there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, it can be difficult for women to "find their inner warrior" after be forced to shaved their head. Losing your hair during cancer treatment can cause unpleasant emotions like fear, anger, embarrassment, etc. Some people find that being proactive by shaving their heads gives them a sense of control and helps them get comfortable with their new look. After shaving their head, it's not uncommon for women to wear fashionables head coverings like scarves or wigs.
In uncertain times like these, it's when chemo patients need their loved ones more than ever. But "Papa" was the husband who had a shocking way of showing his support when he saw Nana's "post-chemo" makeover. And his devoted daughter, Jenn (@jennjensc) caught it all on camera.
When His Wife Walked Through The Door He Laughed In Her Face
An elderly woman sits in chair with blue blanket while doing chemotherapy.@jennjensc/Tiktok
As any loving daughter would, Jenn stood alongside her mother to help her with her new transition. Nana wasn't sure how Papa would receive her "new look." In order to make it fun, the two women plotted a "wig reveal" and the results couldn't be more surprising.
"My parents have been married for 65 years. She was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. He tried to be encouraging."
- Jenn, @jennjensc
Jenn's TikTok video opens on her father, Papa. She whispers that her mom is trying on wigs and she is ready to show him what she has. Papa seems hopeful. "She's trying on wigs? Oh that's good," he says. But when the camera pans to Nana and Papa sees her for the first time, it's safe to say the results were not what he was expecting. And his reaction can't hide his shock.
Watch Jenn's Video:
@jennjensc My parents have been married 63 years. My mom was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. Shes doing chemo and radiation and smiling all she can ! #laughter #laughing #wig #chemo #chemotherapy #temufinds #marriage#myparents #willienelson #nohunny ♬ Always On My Mind - Willie Nelson
He Called Her "Willie Nelson" — Here's How She Got Him Back
In the hilarious and heartwarming video, Nana's wig is undeniably silly. The long black hair is down to her waist and styled in two braids. While Papa tries to be supportive, like any good husband would, he just can't help himself. Nana is the first one to crack a smile at how ridiculous she looks. Then Papa comes back with the most hilarious observation. "You look like Willie Nelson," he remarks. And it's funny because it's true!
The comment section blew up with all kinds of supportive comments. "I was prepared to cry but didn’t expect it to be from laughing 😂 this is gold," one user wrote. Jenn replied to the comment agreeing wholeheartedly, "We haven't stopped laughing," she wrote back.
Jenn's video of her parents went viral overnight. The video racked up over 5.3M views and more than 35,000 comments! Nana and Papa were such hit that their newfound fans were requesting follow up videos. And they didn't disappoint!
Here's the hilarious and heartwarming way this couple "celebrated" Nana reaching the halfway mark of her chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
@jennjensc Today nan finshed the halfway mark of chemo and radiation. She is feeling great. She so enjoys akl tge comments prayers and good vibes ! #nana #papa #willie #journey #chemo #radation #lungcancer #faith #laughter#love ♬ On the Road Again - Willie Nelson
Nana's Resilience Reminds Us To Take Life In Stride, One Day At A Time
screenshot of a comment on TikTok@jennjensc / TikTok
In life, there are no guarantees, but Nana's journey is a powerful reminder of the importance of resilience, humor, and the support of loved ones.
Despite facing the daunting reality of chemotherapy and the changes it brings, she found a way to turn an overwhelming moment into something lighthearted, sharing joy and laughter with her family and the world. Her story teaches us that even in the face of adversity, we can choose to embrace life with grace and a sense of humor.
Nana's ability to laugh, even during one of the most challenging times of her life, encourages us all to take things one day at a time and to find reasons to smile, no matter what we face. It's a valuable lesson on resilience and the strength of human spirit.
Why Racing to the Finish Line of Life Leads to Stress, Anxiety, and Unhappiness
Imagine you’re traveling down a long, empty road.
This road is filled with landmarks, beautiful scenery, and interesting stops. However, along the way, you never allow yourself to stop. Not even once. As you pass by one beautiful scene after another, racing quickly without a moment of rest, you’re constantly saying to yourself, “Keep going, you can’t afford to stop”, “You don’t deserve to stop”, and, “All I need to do is get to the end and everything will be great.”
This way of thinking is, unfortunately, critically flawed. Since we were little we’ve been taught that we need to work hard towards a goal. And that’s perfectly fine. But more specifically, we were taught that we need to give everything of ourselves now to become successful and happy later -- with success usually encompassing some combination of money and material possessions.
The thing is, this goal eventually grows into a sort of fantastical idea within our mind, becoming more myth than reality. We imagine a sort of “pot of gold” at the end of a rainbow, with the rainbow being the long-term work done towards achieving success, while the pot of gold is the monetary and material rewards we receive. But this myth isn’t just dangerous – it’s deadly.
Why Racing to the Finish Line of Life Leads to Stress, Anxiety, and Unhappiness
The reality is, this idea of a perfect everlasting happiness, of this perfect ending where we ride off into the sunset, is a myth.
And this is okay because it turns out this wasn’t how to realize happiness in the first place. Happiness is available to us in each moment if we know how to look for it, which is a far better deal. The problem is we live out our life thinking that if we just get to that magical pot of gold everything will be perfect for the rest of our life. This is the sign of a critical and very harmful misconception.
And it leads to a lot of damage. By pushing yourself with little rest and relaxation for years our body and mind develop serious problems, most notably stress and anxiety, which then ends up affecting our physical health in myriad ways, potentially leading to burnout and even serious illness.
So in the end, we race through the journey of life, missing all of the incredible moments of happiness along the way just because we think we’ll find this ultimate form of happiness at the end of the road. We miss out on the true happiness available to us in each moment all the while building up stress, anxiety, and potentially even serious health issues that threaten to shorten our precious life.
But if happiness and fulfillment are available to us in each moment, it means that at any point in our life we can learn to stop and tap into this amazing gift. And by changing our approach, we can continue to work towards meaningful goals while enjoying our life now and finding fulfillment in the work we do each day. To accomplish that, I’ve developed a simple exercise based on a combination of basic NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) and mindfulness meditation that can be practiced at any time of day and in any situation.
Exercise: Breaking the pattern
It’s important to note that at the heart of the race to this mythical accomplishment is a habitual behavior: when we wake up, consider a break, get off of work (scratch that – when we’re supposed to get off work), and while doing anything else, tell ourselves that we can’t (or don’t deserve to) stop, that we have a long way to go, and that we need to keep racing to achieve this mythical accomplishment.
And because this is based primarily on a habitual behavior, in order to stop it we need to develop a way to interrupt and change the behavior. Habitual behaviors are patterns, and if you stop or break the pattern enough times you begin to break (or alter) the habit. By interrupting ourselves in the midst of the process we can gain clarity, but more importantly, we can start to change the behavior by adopting a new habitual process (or altering the existing one to make it healthier).
Exactly how do you do that? Generally, by doing something completely different from the behavioral pattern you’ve adopted, to “shock” yourself out of the pattern and become present so you can act more consciously, more intentionally. In this case, by doing the exact opposite of racing and rushing around: stopping.
Use these simple instructions to start breaking the habit of racing and begin adopting a healthier pattern of behavior in your daily life:
By using this simple exercise, you can begin to break this harmful pattern and replace it with a healthier and more mindful behavior. By doing so, you’ll learn to appreciate your life now – from moments with your family, simple silence, and even the little moments of beauty that once went undetected – and better manage the stress and anxiety that inevitably arises from a busy life. The more you do it the more you’ll notice yourself able and willing to stop and rest too.
The finish line of life is a harmful myth that leads us to live out our entire life without ever truly living. With this exercise, you can begin to break the habitual patterns connected with it and truly live a happier and more fulfilled life.