I have the beginnings of a grey streak in my hair.
It's suddenly become a bit pronounced over the past month or so. If my face were a clock and you were looking at my face, the streak would be where the hour hand points when it's 1:30. The grey hairs are unruly, wiry, they refuse to lie down when told, they giggle at me and go on being their silver selves when I threaten them with the hairbrush and the water spray bottle.
I've had grey hairs since I was 17. Just a few, sprinkled through my hair, very visible against the dark of it. Lately, though, the silver's been taking hold. Making itself known. A presence. It's not trying to take over, yet, it claims it's just here to make me look distinguished. A silver streak is just what you need, it murmurs. We'll make you look respectable. You've been ageless for years now; let's try something different.
I don't pluck them, and when I dye my hair I choose the stuff that I know won't take stain the grey too badly. People seem to like the strands, for some reason. I once had a coworker who found her first grey hair right after she turned 30, and totally wigged out about it. I can't see doing that myself. Maybe it's because I started going grey young.
Or maybe it's because I'm actually kind of looking forward to getting older. Or, if I'm not totally looking forward to it, I'm at least not dreading it. I have the comfort of knowing that women in my family age well, and getting older has never been viewed by anyone I've been genuinely close to as a tragedy of any sort.
I think the key, for me, is to be sure I'm doing what will make me happy, so I don't look back and say, "aiugh, I'm 45 and I've WASTED all that TIME!" It's not wasted if I've had a good time, if it's what I think it's best to be doing with all of the facts at my disposal.
And the grey hair's really the only visible sign of aging on me, so far. No little wrinkles, anywhere, my bones haven't started aching when it rains. My facial bones are starting to make their presence known a bit more, but that's about it.
I'll know I've truly started the process of getting older when the bones of my hands start being visible. Until then, I'll just enjoy the silver in my hair which is trying so hard to get me taken seriously. I wonder if I should help it out by acting my age...?
Nah!
