I’d always wanted to dye my hair red, but had been too afraid of doing it until I began my nursing home career. Seeing residents at the end of their lives and young people suddenly disabled, their lives changed forever, caused me to question my cautious approach to even minor decisions. With a few gray strands beginning to show, I started with a rinse, changed my color multiple times, and settled on a permanent “fire red” that was brilliant in the sun but more subdued by the light of the nursing home.
Now, many years into long term care, I’ve decided to let myself go gray. Or at least see what’s under there. While keeping a box of fire red in the closet. Upon reflection, perhaps my dive into hair color was motivated at least as much by the fear of aging as it was by a sense that I had to take chances and live life while I could because, well, you never know. On the other hand, maybe showing the gray is another way of taking a chance.
I’ve had almost exactly the same journey with my hair. Salt-n-pepper is not too far away, but I have an emergency box of dye in the closet in case I just can’t stand it!
I come from a long line of hair dyers none of whom believed in getting old, despite their age. Going gray is like eating nursing home chicken, why do it when there are options available.
Thanks for posting, Eva. Do you think your willingness to reveal your grays has been influenced by your work as a massage therapist for elders?
E
And yet, Sue, I’ve seen you eat nursing home chicken! But perhaps you’re right, and I’ll give this up as soon as the roots become unbearable. I’ve found an inspiring website called Going Gray Looking Great and I hope it will give me the courage to keep going.
I’ve been thinking quite a bit about your life goal of “having as much fun as possible,” and trying to add more fun into my days. Would you say that working in nursing homes has contributed to this philosophy?
I love this ad campaign, I don’t think it ever made it to our shores though. We have a huge fight with all the “anti-aging” products that flood the cosmetics counters!
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/dove_grey_/_gorgeous
Thanks for sharing that link, Steve. I love the photo, and the campaign reminds me to think about the impact of my self-image choices on my daughter.
EFB
At any given moment, my hair color is exactly what it’s supposed to be. If God wants to fool with it, he can, but I intend to just let it be.
Eleanor, yes, the root of my life goal to have as much fun as possible does come from working in nursing homes, but also, from the premature death of one of my sister-in-laws. I attribute the origin of the development of my fun philosophy to when I was working with younger nursing home residents with Multiple Sclerosis, people like you and I stricken with a terrible disease. Enjoy today, you never know if you will have the chance tomorrow. However, if you want to be more analytical about it, I too, can say it probably stems from a fear of aging.