Color My World (part 2)

I'm going to start this off with an expert from a blog that my friend Marie used to have. 

"This is actually a topic that I have thought about for some time. My mom and dad both started going gray in their thirties, and sure enough my brothers and I are following suit. But even in my twenties, I thought about whether or not I would try to make myself look younger when the time came. And I always came back to no. Not that I think people who do this are somehow bad, it’s just not for me. I don’t want to try to hide the fact that I am getting older, to try to hide the way nature has made me. I have been known to put a few washable rinses in my hair from time to time (with girlfriends, or nieces, for fun), but I can count on the fingers of one hand how many times I have done that. I also try not to make it do things it doesn’t normally do (like straightening or curling). It’s my hair, it’s who I am, I keep it for myself and I’m happy with it."

Reading that last line, I think we feel the same way about our hair, but she is choosing to go gray and I am choosing to color my natural color for awhile longer.  I have to also interject that both Marie and I are making these decisions on our own.  I don't have a man pestering me about such things, and her husband loves who for who she is, not her hair color.  (LUCKY GIRL) 

Time has passed, and Marie is now faced with the reality of noticeably gray hair.  Her post about it on facebook the other night is what actually inspired these blogs.  

"For years, I've said I'm not going to color my hair - it has been a little gray for a while. This week, it sort of turned more gray. I am still not coloring my hair, but it is a little harder having to come to terms with obviously gray hair."

I admire Marie so much for accepting who she is.  It's a very brave and self confident thing to do.  I also thank her for giving me permission to use her words in my blog!  This is a very personal matter for women, and I guess the bottom line is, whatever choice you make, as long as you are comfortable with it, embrace it wholeheartedly!

Color My World (part one)

This is going to be a two part blog.  Part one is all about me, (go figure) and part two will be about my friend Marie, who is the other side of the coin in this case.

Two summers ago I let my hair go a few weeks to long without color, and when I walked into my sister in laws' house the first thing I heard out of her mouth was "OH MY GOD JO, YOU'RE GOING GRAY!"  Thanks for noticing. Oh, and thanks for loudly pointing it out to everyone else. :)   Last summer one of the five year olds was looking at me funny, and when I asked him what was the matter he said. "Miss Joanie your hair is blue."  I said, "What?"  His reply, "Oh, no......it's just gray."  Colored it that very night.

The truth, however, is that I'm not just starting to go gray.  I have needed to color my hair regularly to keep out the gray since my mid twenties, but I always stick close to my natural color.  If I actually let my hair go now it would be total salt and pepper.....easy on the pepper.  My mother was almost six feet, skinny mini, nice legs, and she handed down two things to me, crooked middle fingers, and gray hair.  Thanks Mom.  Whether I have it colored it at the salon, or do it myself at home, the best I can hope for now is six weeks.  I don't bother with the salon anymore.

I also happen to have very long hair right now, and I love it.  I had short (and I mean short) hair all through the 90's, mostly due to my xhub's particular taste, not my own.  Although I do look good in it short.  I think gray running through short hair on me would be o.k.  Gray running through this long hair makes me look haggard.  When I color my hair I step out of the shower at the end, look in the mirror, and usually say "Hey!  There you are!"  I am not a vain person, but for this one thing.  I am an in your face, accept me or don't, I could care less, kind of gal.  This particular issue is because I care about it.  If it didn't bother ME I wouldn't bother, I assure you.

The last thing is, dating.  It's a shame, but you have to put your best possible self out there.  Cover up the flaws, remember to shave your legs, pretend not to be a man hater, blah, blah, blah. :)  Again, I'm pretty confident, but I feel more like myself if my hair is the color it "should" be.  Although, maybe the young ones would leave me alone if I went down the road to gray.  (probably not..... ewwww)

It's funny, my Mom wore her hair shorter and I only have memories of her with gray hair. (Most of my memories start around the age of four, she would have been 37.) She colored it once and it turned orange.  Her very upset little kids asked her not to do that again, and she didn't.  That's what part two is all about.  Having the guts to go gray!  My plan ( I always have one.) is to reevaluate when I turn 50.  If I am ready I will chop off most of my hair and let it go.  It will be sexy, sassy, and salty.  For me, forty two is just too early to do it.

I guess the question for me is:  If I was in a solid committed relationship with someone who loved me for who I am, would it matter to me if I let it go?  Maybe someday we'll find out.........