Monday, February 27, 2012

Blondes have more fun?
Brunettes are more serious?
Red heads are fiesty?
Gray haired granny?

Looking back at my life thus far, I've had much more fun as a brunette than as a blonde.  As a blonde I was quite sad and insecure. My red headed days were no more feisty.  If anything, I'm more feisty as gray.  And, as a brunette I was never THAT serious.  Doesn't it then stand to reason that turning gray will NOT make me a granny? 

It is now seven months into my journey and it is repeatedly heard that going gray will make one look old.  Most times its easy to shake off.  The color of my hair does not define my age.  Most times.

Today was a weak moment.  Will I look old?  Will the color of my hair age me?

Moments ago I stood in front of the bathroom mirror.  Hair pulled back in a pony for the day.  I stare at the face.  I stare at the hair line.  Back to the face.  Back to the hairline. Back to the face.  Back to the hairline. They are two very separate units for the first time ever in my life.  Its almost as though I can separate my face from my hair like Legos in my psyche.  

The color of my hair does not age me.  It has zero effect on my athleticism, my sense of style, my energy, my outlook on life.  My gray hair does not age me.  My gray hair is just another shade in the hair color wheel of my life.




Saturday, February 18, 2012

The Return of Hair

Mine is not in any way an overnight journey.  At the beginning of March I will be seven months into what I expect will be a 15 to 17 month adventure.  Its still early in the game and I am surprised and sometimes amazed at the process.

This morning the surprise presented itself as a little forest of silver spouts waving in the breeze that passed over the top of my head. This wasn't the outgrowth of my previously dyed hair.  These were new little silver soldiers standing at attention!  This is not an overnight journey yet seemingly overnight I have all these new little hairs?  A sneak attack of new hair. Hair that should have been on my head all along had I not chosen the path of chemically induced color.

I've missed my thick hair and wrongly assumed it was leaving my side do to aging.  I was forcing it out with chemical warfare!

I apologize to my scalp and my hair for the years of torture and I'm ridiculously thankful for your return.  It is my promise to be  kinder and more gentle to my new found (and old) follicles!

Monday, February 13, 2012

More and more gray areas

In my life I have never been a BLACK and WHITE kind of person.  Seemingly that should make me a person with a many shades of gray.  But it didn't.  There was never any gray.  Ever. My world has been filled with many tones and shades and hues of color.

My clothing choices are rarely as stark as black and white.  More often infused with bright, vibrant colors.

My hair, as a primary example has been many, many shades of color.  Blonde, brunette, bright red, auburn, chestnut, black.  But now, there are shades of gray.

My home.  The wall of my home are like an ever changing rainbow.  One year everything coral and creamy yellow, one year beach tones, one year jewel tones.  There are no black and whites.  Until now.

As the grays  and silvers invade my hair follicles, I've now noticed they are invading my kitchen.  In a very recent "re-do", the new stainless steel sink and silver flecked counter-top have made an appearance.  While hooking all the components together tonight I realized the kitchen would look so much better GRAY.

It really is becoming a gray area.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

A Journey of Self Discovery

Recently, my lovely silver sisters from Cafe Gray have inspired me.  (Really, they have been an inspiration since I first discovered this amazing group of women back in September)  Most recently though they have unknowingly provided insight into who I am, who I am becoming.  Many of us, in sharing our thoughts, concerns, joys at the journey of going gray, are finding we share many of the same feelings and perspectives.

It turned into a journey of self discovery

  •  As the more natural color that comes in, the more real and more true I feel, I am.  No more hiding behind a color.  I embrace the natural grays.  THIS IS ME!
  •  I may not be young but I am NOT old and my hair color will not change that fact.
  • This new color coming in is like watching time-lapse photography in process!  
  • It has taught me patience, which for me is amazing.   The girl who has always wanted everything NOW has learned to sit back and enjoy the journey.  This is not an overnight, or over-week or over-month process.  I am six months into a likely 15 month test of time.


It changed into a science experiment.  I want a lab coat and beakers!


  • Who knew each hair had its own rate of growth?  
  • Who knew the line of demarcation would be this crazy zig-zaggy line?
  • What new product will make me more sparkly?  
  • Where did these little errant hairs come from?  
  • Where are the big clumps of hair after I color?

As the days go by, I am finding answers to all these questions.  And, as the days go by I will share what I find with you.













Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Surprises

Superbowl Sunday.  We have an invitation to an awesome party with a guest list that includes my ex.  So much for going to the awesome party.  I could vent more on this but is best saved for another time.

Its 9am and I am running errands for our intimate at-home Superbowl party.  The phone rings.  My "wild hair" sister is asking if she can make reservations for two nights at my house.  "Of course!!!!  When do you want to come visit?"  The response, "I'm on the plane.  See you in 4 hours!"

Am I ridiculously excited?  Hell yeah!  Am I nervous that my non-gray, older sister is coming and will finally see my 2 1/2" strip of gray out-growth?  Hell yeah!

My sister has so often been my rock.  She is a marvelous support system.  A cheerleader when needed, a shoulder to cry on and the voice of reason when my reason has flown the coop.  But, she has never seen my gray hair!!!!

As promised, four hours later my sister pulls up into the drive.  Dog hugs, cat hugs, nephew hugs bro-in-law hugs and then...the sister hug.  Its so great to see her at my door I completely forget about anything but the fact that my sister has surprised me with an impromptu visit.  And then it happens.  She pulls back and gives me a look.  I know the look.  She is analyzing the hair.  The stripe.  The gray.

No doubt a split second that felt like several minutes and she smiles.  She loves the gray, the gradation, the salt and pepper, the process.  She is, again, my cheerleader, my voice of reason and my rock.

Sisters ROCK!  And I would not trade mine for anything, ever!