So, here I go. Keepin' it REAL for the next 5 minutes.
GO. My intent is to encourage. I hope to cause us all to question, "What is beautiful?" I hope to create a discussion, and I hope we will all seek Father for His view.
This is me in my mid-twenties. No gray hair; just naturally brown and sun-streaked compliments of the Florida sunshine.
This is me in my late-forties. I had some gray, but I was attempting to cover it up at great expense and to no avail. The grays grew in faster than I could cover.
This is me...50ish, and I've gone natural. This is the REAL me.
Frustrated with the time and expense of dying my silver hair brunette, I finally did a quick cost benefit analysis. I decided the benefits of color in an attempt to maintain a youthful appearance were not enough to justify the cost.
Besides at 50, I was turning over a new leaf of freedom. Freedom to be me; the REAL me. I decided my hair color should be REAL as well.
It wasn't an easy choice. I didn't want to have large streaks of silver framing my face. I didn't want to be perceived as old because of my hair color. And so with fear and trepidation, I made a choice...a difficult choice in our perception conscious culture; I chose to embrace the REAL color of my hair.The reactions of others have been interesting!
I want to make it clear right up front. This isn't a rant. I'm not mad at anyone. I'm not trying to convince anyone to stop coloring their hair. I'm not arguing that I am right and you are wrong. I say with hair color~to each her own!I'm simply conveying the very REAL (unsolicited) commentary regarding my very REAL hair color - dark brown streaked with silver!
On a weekly regularity, a stranger will approach me and ask, "Is that your real hair?" (I kid you not!)
With equal regularity, in a group of women discussing hair color, gray roots, etc, someone will state that while gray looks good on me, it wouldn't look good on them. (I receive your compliments. Truly I do. Thank you!)And just a month or so ago, I ran into a neighbor at the grocery store who did a double take and then exclaimed, "Wow, Lisa, you're so gray!"
I've been asked if my husband is OK with my naturally gray hair. (I don't know why not; he has gray around his temple and lots of gray in his beard.)
I've been asked if I'm concerned about being passed over in the job market in favor of younger looking women. (I'm really not trying to compete against younger women for a career at this point.)
I'm fascinated....truly, fascinated on a daily basis by the reactions of others to my decision to be REAL...hair color and all. Probably the most fascinating aspect of all is my own reaction. Though I made this decision and chose to "do it scared" (my life motto), I've truly embraced my REAL hair color. I rather like it.
I never could have manufactured the silver band of hair which now frames my face.
My silver hair is unique...it's me...it's REAL!
And in this Word, I take heart...
Gray hair is a glorious crown:
it is found in the way of righteousness.
Proverbs 16:31 hcsb
Five Minute Friday is sponsored by Kate Motaung.
Each week Kate posts a prompt word. The idea is to write on the prompt word for five minutes without re-writing, re-thinking or editing. One word and 5 minutes worth of thoughts. Please take time to visit Kate's website and read through the creative thoughts of the many women who link up with Kate for Five Minute Friday.
Disclaimer: I rarely write on Friday. I typically take two or three days to marinate on the word prompt, and for the most part "write" my thoughts in my head before sitting down at my laptop with the 5 minute timer.
It takes me longer to go through and find pictures to go along with the writing.
All in all the five minute free write is still a challenge to my first-born perfectionism. However, I embrace the challenge and appreciate the opportunity to express each week my thoughts through the written word.
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