Going Gray

I stopped coloring my hair. 

The gray has started to take over and I'm letting it. 

My husband has no hair, he started loosing it more than 20 years ago. 

But he has facial hair. 

Why he is bald on top and hairy EVERYWHERE else is a mystery to me. 

And him. 

His facial hair is more white than brown. 

And he looks so great!

Why do I need to color my hair to look great?

I have been noticing couples when I am out and about these days. 

Many men have gray hair. 

But their partner, when it's a woman, does not. 

It's rare to see a gray haired woman. 

They are there, but in small numbers. 

90% of the time she has colored hair. 

The brownest of brown. 

The blondest of blonde. 

The reddest red from a bottle.

These couple look mismatched. 

He looks his age while she's trying as hard as possible to NOT look her age.

I don't want to spend the money. 

I don't want to spend the time. 

I am not going to color my hair anymore.

I got it cut last week. 

I have always had short hair and get lazy between cuts, so I need to get on the ball with that more. 

I found a great stylist last week as my old stylist is moving to Florida. 

My new stylist is another mom from school. 

She has two boys around the ages of my two girls. 

And she did a great job when I went in and said...short, messy, feminine. 

And seemed pumped when I said I'm not coloring my hair anymore. 

Maybe not too pumped as I'm one less client she can persuade to get golden highlights. 

My husband seems to like it.

He told me "the gray looks sexy."

And I said "really?"

And he said "for sure!"

And I made googly eyes at him. 

And he made googly eyes at me. 

And my ten year old yelled "I'm sitting right here so stop it!"

Hair has been a big topic in our home for a few years. 

My oldest lost her hair three times between the ages of five and eight. 

And then we were told it may not grow past her shoulders due to the cranial radiation she had. 

Currently her hair is longer than anticipated (past the shoulders!) and a deeper brown than her "first" hair. 

And her blonde sister got her baby curls cut off about 6 months ago and now sports a cut deemed hipper for a six year old. 

Someday they may color or shave or dreadlock their hair. 

I say go for it. 

Hair grows back. 

Life needs to be full of variety. 

Here's to the gray. 

For taking my head into my own hands. 

For not bowing down to what women in their 40s are "supposed" to look like.

Who decides how we are to look?

Do we just follow our predecessors and peers?

I look like me. 

My gray kind of looks like highlights I think. 

Highlights of the life I've led. 

And I thank my friend Carla for starting this trend for me to follow.