Last Thursday I got my hair cut short.
I mean, REALLY short.
We had to go extreme because I wanted all the hair color cut off.
You see, I got my first grey hair when I was 19 and I have been coloring it since my mid 20′s, twenty years now, and well, I am sick of it.
So I got it all cut off.
When it was done, I was shocked.
I did not recognize the woman sitting in the chair.
My hair guy loved it.
“It’s beautiful,” he said as his fingers played in it.
All I could think of was, I’m not even 47 yet. I am not supposed to be grey until, well, I don’t know when, but, like, MUCH LATER. Not now.
When Neal got home that evening, I asked him what he thought.
He hesitated.
I said, please, honestly, tell me what you think.
So he did. In two words…
Barbara Bush.
I mean, no offense to Barbara, I am sure she is a wonderful woman, but, but…
A week before my 47th birthday, to think my husband thought of Barbara Bush when he saw me… well I went into a three-day long funk. I thought about how I will never naturally have brown hair again and how society perceives grey hair color, especially on women.
With a head of grey hair am I now old?
Well, today is my 47th birthday and a wonderful peace has overcome me, an acceptance of how I am and who I am has embraced me and I a happy. Neal and I now joke about Barbara and he says the new look is growing on him. That’s fair. Sometimes change takes time to accept. But accept we must. I love where I am in life. I love that I have accomplished what I have. My children are nearly grown and nearly the independent adults I have always hoped they would be. Soon I will be starting a new chapter in my life full of new challenges and adventures. And my new chapter begins with short, grey hair. I love it.
I feel beautiful. (And that’s not easy for me to say.)
I feel young. I feel sexy. I feel like I am what I want to be, not what I think others think I should be.
I feel like “a natural woman.” (Thank you Aretha!)
Me. On my 47th birthday.
Here are some of my hair heroes…
“Oh you look just like Mia Farrow!” my hairdresser Bobby exclaimed when he finished.
Audrey Hepburn, was, well, simply sensational.
A super-feminine, grown up Emma Watson shed her Hermione mane.
Halle Berry, always a knock-out, is also super sassy.
Oh how I miss Diana. She was the essence of natural beauty.
The always beautiful and sexy, Jamie Lee Curtis. Even more beautiful growing grey naturally.
Joan Baez wowed them at Woodstock and she wows me now.
And you know what, I think Barbara Bush just might be my new hair hero too. I mean GO BARBARA for being yourself. You are confident. You are authentic. You are a natural woman. Barbara, you rock!
images from google, well except mine, that one I did.
I’m sorry, I know you’ve worked really hard to say all that about Barbara Bush, and no offense Babs, but YOU do not look like Barbara Bush. Not remotely, not slightly, not at ALL. You look FABULOUS and I LOVE your fabulous you in your fabulous pixieish grey head of hair. And one more thing, you are 47 years young and you’re gorgeous! Have a wonderful birthday fabulous, wonderful 47 you! Happy Birthday! I will tell Em and she and I will sing a little Happy Birthday to you when she gets home. XX
Thank you. How I always enjoy hearing from you and well, when you include the word “fabulous” like multiple times, it’s even more fabulous!
I appreciate your kind words and upcoming birthday concert. I have been grateful to all who have seen me since this change and have expressed (Babs comment aside) nothing but encouraging sentiments. It was a process accepting this. Weird what trips us up along the way.
I LOVE IT!!! That looks so good on you
Thanks Felipa! I am loving it too! It’s SO easy and I am SO lazy, it’s perfect.
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