Today brings me a dilemma known to all women of a certain age. Will I continue to dye my hair or will I go grey? You see I am fifty this year. There I have said it. I. Am. Fifty. This. Year. And I want to know how this happened. Truly. I feel as though I went to bed aged thirty seven and woke up aged fifty. Almost. Thirty seven was a great age for me. I was in the process of renovating my house, and my life after a disastrous marriage. I was fit from all the physical work I needed to do on my house. I was enjoying all the learning about plumbing and floorboards, tiling and etc. I was beginning to discover my true self having given up so much of me in vain attempts to keep a wrong marriage going. Every day felt like an adventure. I had the curiosity of a child and the power of a mature adult. Myself and the bank had bought my little house against all the odds and 'I told you so's.' I WAS ON A ROLL!
Now I am almost fifty. A new marriage, a new house and two new daughters later! I love my life. I have made my peace with the past. I continue to learn and grow. I know now I will carry on doing that until the day comes when I am pushing up daisies.
But here is that knotty question again. Do I accept my years gracefully by going grey? Or do I stay young by dyeing my hair again? Will I be giving up by giving into the grey? Or, will I be saying, this is me, like it or lump it?
For my mother and grandmother, fifty was old. They were both grandmothers at my age. My granny went grey, my mother went blond. My granny saw her middle years as a rest and a reward after the hard times. My mother fought her age and regretted the lost years. I think my choice will be different from both of them. For now, I think I'll just take that childlike curiosity and that adult power and see where the road leads... it hasn't let me down yet.
I would love to hear what choice you made, comment below or explore your beliefs and choices more by joining the conversation Your Irish Identity, Gifts and Shadows
Now I am almost fifty. A new marriage, a new house and two new daughters later! I love my life. I have made my peace with the past. I continue to learn and grow. I know now I will carry on doing that until the day comes when I am pushing up daisies.
But here is that knotty question again. Do I accept my years gracefully by going grey? Or do I stay young by dyeing my hair again? Will I be giving up by giving into the grey? Or, will I be saying, this is me, like it or lump it?
For my mother and grandmother, fifty was old. They were both grandmothers at my age. My granny went grey, my mother went blond. My granny saw her middle years as a rest and a reward after the hard times. My mother fought her age and regretted the lost years. I think my choice will be different from both of them. For now, I think I'll just take that childlike curiosity and that adult power and see where the road leads... it hasn't let me down yet.
I would love to hear what choice you made, comment below or explore your beliefs and choices more by joining the conversation Your Irish Identity, Gifts and Shadows
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