Contemplating Gray

So, being a 50ish woman, I have reached that age in my life where the color of my hair is, lets just say, less than the original.  Meaning I've been sporting hair color based on the color on a box for about 30 years.  My hair started turning gray in my early 20's.   I went through an auburn phase and a close to the original phase and now, crap, I have to color my hair again, after only three weeks, phase.  That's a lot of time and energy and chemicals expended in the name of youth.

I'm tired of it.  I'm ready to kick the habit, go cold turkey, go natural, go gray.  I'm going to do it.  I told my mother for years that I could never quit coloring my hair until she did.  I love my mother dearly but I didn't want to be mistaken for her younger sister.  That would reflect well on her, but didn't say much about me.  My mother, bless her heart, finely quit coloring her hair about four years ago.  She is now 80.  When she did people complimented her on the beauty of her lovely white locks.  She was pleasantly surprised.  

I don't know if people will compliment me on my gray, white, dark brown roan mixture (provided there is still dark brown left).  You know what, I don't care.  I'm taking a stand for women my age.  My husband sports gray hair, as does my younger brother.  Men in their 50's have gray hair, why don't women?  I can think of three women, Jamie Lee Curtis, my sister, who is a redhead and a recent acquaintance, who aren't afraid to be gray.  I'm ready to jump on the band wagon.  We'll start an uprising, a movement of great momentum....    Well, maybe not.  The thing is, I have to listen to my heart, and it's beating to the tune of yea gray, yea gray.

I do have a plan,  because I don't want to have the dreaded demarcation between the old and the new.  I will continue to color my hair with shampoo-in color until such time as my roots, in all their glory have grown out.  Then there will be a gradual fade to the loveliness of God's will for my hair.  I have already started the plan.  No more permanent hair color will cross my thresh hold.  

I want to end with this thought.  I can always go back to coloring it if I don't like it, right?  That is what people have been responding with when I tell them of my plan.  You know what, I'm not going to end with that thought!  I'm going to respect, embrace and love my hair for the stupendous color it will be.  Period. 

I'll keep you posted.

My daughter, me and Mom in San Diego 2012.  Notice my Mom's lovely white locks.

P.S.  In case you are confused on how this brings me closer to obtaining an alpaca farm, I'm thinking natural, all natural.  That's all I have to say.

D :)