I’ve been through a “thing” lately. Over the past five years, my light brown hair has quietly transformed into an all-natural salt-and-pepper gray — complete with silver front pieces. Not too surprising since my father went gray early and had beautiful silver hair.
What has surprised me are all the comments, conversations, and occasional doubts about my choice that this change has sparked.
“I love your hair! If I thought mine would look like that, I’d let it go gray.”
Comments like that make me wonder… am I “that brave”? I doubt it. Am I doing something other women wouldn’t dare allow? Apparently. Truthfully, I just don’t see the point in fighting the inevitable.
Here’s my thought process: the gray-haired woman in the mirror — that’s the real me. I could keep dyeing my hair every 4–6 weeks (at $200+ a pop, I might add) and hold on to younger looking me a little longer. But for how long? Eventually, we all meet that gray-haired older version of ourselves. Wouldn’t it be easier to do it now, in my early 60s, instead of… when?
My mom at age 82 still talks about coloring her hair. I mean, who are we fooling here, and who are we doing this for? She’s also still concerned about her acne scars — but that’s another post.
This whole topic reminds me of Bob Barker from The Price Is Right. Back in the late ’80s, when he finally stopped dying his hair at age 67, the audience gave him a standing ovation when he walked out on that stage with his silver crown. I haven’t received any applause for my crown (not yet anyway), but I have had strangers — always women — stop me to say they love my hair.
One of my close friends isn’t there yet. She would be gray too if she didn’t dye her hair, but she’s not ready to let the world see it. She colors her hair every six weeks and does all the things to look younger — all the while “aging gracefully” , which is fine. No judgement here. I guess what it boils down to, is we must be afraid at some level to lose our power as a young, attractive females and begin the transition into a more mature version of ourselves.
Personally, I love it. I love this stage in my life of being truly authentic on every level. I hope this first step helps me to embrace my next phase in life to enjoy the best it has to offer and not to cling to hard to who I used to be.
Time will tell.
I’ll keep you posted.
