In Search of the Fountain of Youth

I caved.  It's so disappointing.  I caved to cultural expectations.  To youthful appearance - or the lack thereof.  To societal norms.  Yep, I colored my hair again.  I said I wouldn't do it.  (http://serenitygoddess.blogspot.com/2012_10_01_archive.html)  I was going to stand strong with my goal of pure living (better, preservative-free eating; no longer putting toxic chemicals on my head).  If men can do it, if they can 'age naturally', then why can't women?!  But alas, I caved.

My mom is a cosmetologist.  She has been doing hair since she was in high school. She has done my hair my whole life.  She keeps her grays happily hidden under dye.  To say that she is a fan of keeping a youthful appearance would be an understatement.  She is a beautiful woman, on the inside and the out!

Today when I told her I 'caved' to societal norms, she literally raised both arms in a victory pump and said "Yes you did!".  She was jubilant.  She said I was too young to look so old.  And I said, "but mom, we should be happy to age naturally".  And she said, "No Way!  That's why they made hair dye!".  She is a believer of fighting aging with all the tools available to us.  I love you Momma!  You are the best!!  :) 

At least I can say I didn't completely cave.  I didn't do the entire head of hair; I did highlights, which means I didn't cover all my grays; I just brightened some of the hair by adding streaks of red.  I still hate the thought of being 'required' to keep up with the whole dye process.  Once you start dyeing your hair, you need to expose yourself to those nasty chemicals every 2 - 3 months, to keep up with it as your hair grows out. Ugh!  We will see how long I keep this up.  Since it had been 6 months since I colored it, it had grown out alot.  I figured I could either cut it short (removing the longer, colored part) or I could color it again.  Apparently I wasn't ready to go short yet; or truthfully, I wasn't ready to face all that gray yet.

This is the first time I have seen the top of my head since I stopped coloring my hair in October (6 months ago) and I can't get over how many grays are up there.  (I always thought grays came out when you were in your 60s - not 41!  It's all that false advertisement from all the women dyeing their hair!!  And what's with the big space in my part between my bangs and the rest of my hair.  This aging is for the birds.)

 The fun "foiling" highlighting process!

The finished 'wet' look.

The finished 'dry, frizzy' look (yes I know, it needs product or to be straightened).



A Sucker for Society,

(aka Shallowly Yours,)

Me

Motivational Moment:

I decided to look up some quotes on beauty (http://www.goodreads.com) and I have to say I am pleased that almost all of them referred to inner beauty (note - I did not google 'inner beauty' - just 'beauty').  I was completely humbled by these quotes; how silly to be concerned with going gray, honestly.  See for yourself:

“Sometimes people are beautiful.
Not in looks.
Not in what they say.
Just in what they are.”
― Markus Zusak, I am the Messenger

 

“It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness.”

― Leo Tolstoy, The Kreutzer Sonata

“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.”
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”
― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

 

“For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
 For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
 For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
 For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.
 For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
 People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
 As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others.”
― Sam Levenson

 

May you spread your beauty to others today and in so doing make their life a little easier.