Live and let DYE

It started off harmlessly enough... A bit of good-natured teasing on my brother's part. He couldn't help but point out the obvious amount of grey that's taken up permanent residence amid my black/brown do. My sister, brother-in-law....and all others present decided to take a closer look.

Here's where my happy Easter became not-so-happy...

The not-so-subtle suggestion was made that I colour my hair. Apparently, my face is too youthful looking to be sporting grey around the perimeter. I came back with a feeble comment about a number of beautiful/successful/influential women who sport a silver/white coiffe. Someone shot back that "it's fine if you're sixty, but not in your mid-thirties." OUCH!

From the time I was a teen, I made the decision to embrace the natural process of aging. I've seen enough women fight it...and fail miserably (Joan Rivers, Melanie Griffith & Goldie Hawn...to mention but a few). I decided that I would challenge aging, but befriend it at the same time. Little did I realize the fight would involve a third party - our youth-obsessed culture.

If you google "hollywood actresses grey hair", you'll come up with Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada"...and Taylor Hicks! I was extremely disappointed by the lack of silver-haired sirens in Hollyweird. Nada...nothing...just a few honourable mentions: Jamie Lee Curtis decided to go "au naturel" at the last Academy Awards ceremony. And that's about it. Whoopdidoo! Coincidentally, there's hardly a shortage of mention for the grey-haired hunks of Hollywood: George Clooney, Richard Gere, Anderson Cooper, Michael Douglas (even though his face looks like a roadmap through the Rockies!!!)...etc. etc. etc.

So what's a lass like me to do? I represent a minority; only twenty-five percent of the female population show signs of grey between the ages of 25-34. Damn Murphy's Law!!! So, in representing a minority...I've got to get this right. To dye or not to dye? That is the question...

I don't mind my grey as much as others might. For me, they're like battle-scars...and I wear them proudly. My greys speak volumes about me, my biology and my history. Why would I want to hide that?

This reminds me of my "birth-mark-moment" on my wedding day. See, I've got this birthmark, shaped like Argentina & the colour of a light strawberry sorbet, smack dab between my throat & chest. It is anything BUT faint...and when I'm angry or nervous, it's like a beacon in the night! My eager hair & make-up lady politely suggested I cover it up...so that it wasn't so obvious in pictures. Hmmmm.... So I'm supposed to cover up this birthmark...because...ummm... I can't even finish this thought; it just doesn't make sense to me! My birthmark, like my grey, is part of what makes me unique. And, as long as I'm comfortable with it, I'll go with it....

This is not to say that I'll never cover up the grey. In fact, I've got a bottle of Herbatint in 3N (natural dark chestnut) sitting upstair, on the bathroom counter. It's been there for five days & I glance at it from time to time. I'm not sure I'll use it...I came pretty close the other day...but I might wait a bit longer. I've got to figure this out first.