As I was eating my popcorn and wondering what the heck I could write about for transformation prompt, my mind wandered. As it often does.
Nibble, nibble, nibble, dip in to get extra salt…I should really watch my salt intake (someday). Yum…this is really tasty.
Wait, an idea popped into my head…popcorn…yes…transformation from kernel to popped corn. Bingo…(the sips of Leinie’s had nothing to do with this discovery).
So I wrote the word out on a piece of paper…added it to the staged picture. Yeah…that’s transformation. But, sigh, slightly boring right? I better try again in the morning, with coffee.
After a good night’s sleep, and a fresh cup of coffee in hand, my mind wandered again.
What kept coming back to me is my last year spent transitioning to gray hair. It was a pretty big deal and it was a transformation – just look at my “about me” photo for the proof. (Over there, to the right of the screen, in case you didn’t notice!)
Do you really want to write about going gray again? Yeah, kind of…some days, it is still a blurry and scary kind of deal! When I let it get to me.
Oh, mercy me, the truth is, there are still the things (sh**) that I imagine people say about my transformed gray hair.
- You look old – (NOT…I’m 50 something, I look my age for chrissake…my birthday is next week, that must be where this one is coming from!).
- You look tired – (Well…maybe I am some days, I could just get more sleep already).
- You let yourself go – (Ouch…maybe I should get dressed for the day…but it’s only 4:30 am, I do look like I didn’t try to awfully hard at that time of day).
- Wow – you look so different… (Not good, not bad, just different. So do you, especially that face you just made when you said that – your nose up in the air isn’t your best shot).
Okay…that last one was kind of mean to say…retaliation isn’t the best response and hidden anger only indicates insecurities.
Are the imagined thoughts real?
Duh! I just confessed they are.
But are they all in my head and not what others really think? Are they are just pesky thoughts (like those damn gnats in my office…still flitting around annoying me)?
My little old (middle-aged) head has had murmurs of these thoughts off and on since I choose to embrace my gray hair. You’d think I’d be used to them by now.
When, oh, when will those thoughts be gone?
There is nothing real about what I think others think, the thoughts are all in my head. Unless I ask someone what they think, I can’t know what they are thinking, and I can’t worry about it either.
Sh**ty thoughts will disappear when I choose to let them be gone.
Now that I’ve completed the gray transformation, I have to let go even more than I imagined. It’s one thing to let go of the dye, it’s another thing to let go of recurring dreams of the fear about letting go of the dye and what other’s may or may not think.
The thoughts are wild and crazy and have a mind of their own when I let them wander freely through my head.
No different from my wild and crazy spikes of new gray hairs – the fun wire-like ones! In black or white or in color, curly or straight, they have always had a mind of their own.
As I’ve gotten used to my changing hairs (or thoughts about them), they spoke to me at the weirdest times throughout the transition from dark to gray hair.
I’ve recently discovered (admitted that), the feelings I have when those thoughts arise triggered more so because the gray hairs are going through their own transformation on my head.
They are out of control and literally have a mind of their own.
The black ones are all kinky and strong (thicker in texture), the slate color with a bouncy curl to it (slightly thinner than the black), the mousey gray just lays limp (even thinner), and the new white ones are thin and stand straight up in the air – yelling at the world – notice me. I thought my thoughts were hard to manage…
The reality is – hair is just hair and the quest to find a hairstyle that works with your type of hair never goes away. Hair, as we age, is in a steady transformation – embrace every crazy hair you have. You’ll never be bored, and will always be amused (amazed).
PS – I really do love my gray hairs and if you choose to take the journey to gray, you’ll love them, too. Really, you will!
Daily Post Photography: Transformation
I like your gray hair…. and mine too!
Thank you tgeriatrix! I’m glad you stopped by and I like your gray hair too!
I am the only one among my parents’ three daughters who did not dye my hair, which started to turn from dark brown (with red highlights) to gray in my late 20s. My mother and her mother both dyed their hair up to the end of life. My hair is thick and straight and not amenable to styling, curling and such, and so I’ve had to content myself with adjustments in length. You have inspired me! Your post has me wondering if I could come up with something similar regarding the transformation of my hair styles/lengths over the decades.
Was coloring your hair expected within your family? Among co-workers and social grouping in general?
Hi Lizl,
Thanks for stopping by and reading my post. I’m glad I sparked your enthusiasm for embracing your natural hair color. My mom did color, over the years – mostly for fun – she did a wide variety of color over the years. I felt pressure to color when I was working in the corporate world and got sucked into it for 12 years. I’m so glad to have stopped. There are still co-workers and social groups that say “no way – not for me”, but I’m thrilled to be done with coloring! If you’re up for it, I know you won’t regret it!!
Thanks for including my post on your list Chrisbreebaart! Your grandfather and grandson picture is an awesome representation of transformation! Great job!
I´m trying to let my hair gray sinds I turned 60. My natural color was chest nut when I was young. I colored my hair for the first time at about 35 (I was already getting many gray hairs). So I thought 60 wil be a nice age to stop. I´m 73 now and the only thing I managed is to turn to blond with a white front.
And why? My children (47 and 43 years old) find me “looking too old” with grey hair!
Aw, Paloma, I feel for you. Societal messages are likely the reason your children feel that way. I found overcoming what I thought others would think about me as the hardest part of choosing to embrace my natural hair. There will always be people who believe “gray” means old. It’s not the case in my opinion. Being confident in yourself makes you young no matter what color your hair is. I know that once you decide to embrace your natural color, the freedom it brings will help you and you won’t regret it. Let those beautiful silver shine! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for stopping by – I appreciate hearing from you!
Gray hair looks nice on you; Can’t say that about everyone.
Thanks for the compliment Mythrider and for stopping by to read my post. I appreciate you taking the time to do so! Good thing there’s a rainbow of colors available so everyone is happy with their hair color 😉
I started getting grey hairs when I was 5 and my mom used to pluck them out. As soon as I turned 18, I started coloring my hair every 3 months. I am now 47. The last few years of my teaching career, my crazy schedule got in the way and I stopped coloring as often. By the end of last school year (end of my teaching career), my hair was almost completely gray (white). My mom calls me the old lady who lives upstairs and periodically asks me when we are going to color my hair. The answer is “we aren’t”. I am embracing it. I like my grey. I like yours too. Congrats on making the transition!
Thank you, Michelle. I appreciate you stopping by to read my post and for sharing your feedback. Glad to hear you’re embracing and enjoying your grey! Continue having fun with your responses to your mom – that’s a perfect reply! I tease my colleagues that it is the “new” blonde ;-)! Congrats to you for choosing grey before 50! Best wishes for your blogging adventures!
I like the gray! I haven’t made that decision yet, but my sister (2 years younger) has been talking about it for a couple of years now. Some day I’ll get tired of my bottle-blonde. Love your blog!!
Aw, thank you!! You’ll know when you’re ready to go gray – it might not seem like it at first, but you’ll know! I’m so happy you stopped by to read my blog and thank you for sharing your thoughts! I love the tagline of your blog “stumbling through line one adventure at a time” – we’re kindred spirits!! Stay in touch, I can learn from you!!
I’m definitely gonna keep stopping by! I can sure learn from you as well. Us “old broads” need to stick together! LOL
Great, I’ll stop by your blog too!! Yes, we need to stick together!!!! 🙂