It almost sparkled against the dark background. I had to take off my glasses to study it further.
While reading a book last Tuesday evening, I glimpsed at the arm of my dark brown recliner and noticed a six-inch long strand of hair. I couldn’t even call it gray – this sucker was brilliant white. I chuckled as I picked it up and studied it.
It took me back to the moment when I – or rather, someone else – discovered my first gray hair. One of my co-workers, Krista, had been standing behind me as I sat typing up something on my computer back in the fall of 1997.
“Oh, look, you have a gray hair,” Krista mentioned in a casual manner. My reaction, however, wasn’t so casual. Tears sprang to my eyes. I couldn’t believe it. I was going gray at age 27? The horror!
If only my 52-year-old self could talk to that panicky young woman and reassure her that the world was truly not ending.
As you can see from my column photo, I’ve got quite a few gray hairs now … okay, more like a few hundred. Many empty nesters have the same or even more.
The wonderful thing now is that our society is no longer making people in this stage of life feel like they have to cover up their grey. I find this to be so freeing, especially for women.
Just look at celebrities like Jamie Lee Curtis, Tia Mowry, and Andie MacDowell. They fully embrace their gray hair and absolutely shine.
Plenty of articles online and even Facebook groups encourage people, especially women, to love their grays. I think the COVID-19 lockdowns pushed a lot of women in this direction since they couldn’t go to their salon.
I’ve heard people refer to their gray hair as “tinsel,” which I absolutely love. I call mine the “silver highlights” in my life. They show the world that I’ve been here a while and have survived a lot.
In fact, having gray hair was “in” just a few years ago – even for girls in their teens and 20s!
What if you’re just not ready to embrace the gray? I think that’s fine, too. As the saying goes, “you do you.” I’ve got family and friends who go either direction. They all look great.
That was certainly me in my 30s. I used Clairol products and henna. But when I turned 40, I realized that I was tired of spending the time and money on fighting the tinsel. I said goodbye to all the fuss and trouble, and I’ve been a lot happier ever since.
My point is, when it comes to those silver strands, do what makes you feel your best. Some people have a lot of fun changing their looks. Some enjoy how Mother Nature gives them amazing natural highlights.
On that Tuesday evening, I looked at my strand of tinsel one last time, smiled, and felt grateful that I had embraced my authentic self. I hope every one of my “empty nest” readers is doing the same.