Does My Grey Hair Make You Uncomfortable?
On Father’s day my sister, my dad, his girlfriend and I were sitting on the back patio. I pulled my hair into a ponytail. My dad looks down at me, noticing strands of grey hair and suggested I dye it.
My sister has been telling me for years to dye my grey hairs, especially the ones that frame my face.
I haven’t wanted to yet.
My Dad’s girlfriend, also a hairdresser, noticed the look of surprise and hurt on my face. She quickly started saying that I didn’t need to.
I replied asking him why I should. He said when my Mom was my age she was already dying her hair.
Well, that isn’t really a reason.
I think he realized it and felt a bit bad about a comment that he didn’t mean anything by.
I’m not saying I’ll never dye my hair, or that you shouldn’t.
However;
I find it crazy how we’re supposed to hide any hints of aging. We should be SO LUCKY to get older.
Aging is a privilege.
And should we be so lucky to get older, do we want to spend the whole time trying to look younger? Trying to change the most natural things about ourselves?
I feel like this is a major problem – and one I’m more aware of being in Canada right now.
If we can’t embrace who we are on a physical level and are constantly being told we need to look a certain way, (ahem younger): how are we ever suppose to feel comfortable and confident embodying the deeper parts of ourselves?
How are we supposed to feel free, and happy in a society that wants us to fit a mould? How are we ever suppose to let our guard down, be vulnerable, or share anything real?
I’m afraid that we don’t know ourselves.
On paper we have society telling us to “just be yourself.” However, so many of us are disconnected from who we are because we’ve been trying to be the version of authentic that others find palatable.
I hope you know- whatever your personal choices are they are YOUR choices to make. I hope that you make them for YOU, not anybody else.
