Ode to Happiness: Keanu Reeves's new lady in daring shades of grey

A few days ago, the Canadian actor and movie star Keanu Reeves became the focus of media again, not because of his new movie or his mysterious quality of being permanently young, but because of his new girl friend in decades (According to The  Daily Mail), a Los Angeles-based artist Alexandra Grant, who looks like Helen Mirren, does not look glamours, and carries a daring shade of grey hair on her head.

The image of this worldly famous and widely loved Hollywood star being with a woman close to his age bracket has caused quite a social media storm. The haters think Keanu is dating a grandmother, and supporters applauded either Alexandra's courage of leaving her hair grey, or Keanu's gut of not going out with a younger, more beautiful and more glamorous girl. But really the applause should go to both of them, for living the way they want, and not caring about what other people expect or think or say. 

From the public photos, Alexandra Grant looks like one of those earthily women who might love to do yoga and meditation or cook or burn essences and have a big heart,  and the couple look happy, relaxed and loving together. 

It's said Keanu and Alexandra had known each other for years before they became a couple earlier this year. Over the years, they have worked together on several projects, including writing two books: Ode to Happiness in 2011 and then Shadows in 2016, they then established a publishing house together in 2017. So it seems the two had shared a long and fruitful friendship before they locked their hands and hearts together.

Ode to Happiness is a grown-up's picture book, a charming reminder not to take oneself too seriously. With drawings by painter Alexandra Grant, text by actor Keanu Reeves, and in collaboration with mutual friend Janey Bergam, this facsimile artists' book is about making the best of a bad situation. In the tradition of a classic "hurtin' song", Reeves' text externalizes a melancholy internal monologue and subtly pokes fun at it. Grant's images, delicately realised in sombre inky washes, reflect the dark and light, the pathos and humour of the text. Neither entirely earnest nor wholly ironic, Ode to Happiness is both a meditation and a gentle tease about how we cope with life's sorrows.

So Odd to Happiness for Keanu Reeves and his new love!