The Grey Fairy
Feb 24, 2008 A couple of weeks ago, my husband bought for me one of those chain thingies for my reading glasses. This is the sort of thing that practical old ladies use so they don’t forget where they’ve last left their specs. I confess to searching doggedly for mine, only to sheepishly discover them perched on top of my own head. This, I suppose, means I’m settling into practical old lady-hood having, in my dottiness, earned the right to wear the chain thingie.
Last night, as I sat down in my chair to read, I found a hair twined amidst the links of my glasses chain. At first, I thought it couldn’t be mine because it was lighter than my hair normally looks and maybe one of the kids had been playing with my glasses. As I disentangled the errant strand, I realized it was too long to have come from one of the kids, and, not only was it light, it was downright GREY!
Now, I knew I had some greys mixed in with my hair, having seen them in the mirror. I’d even sought them out a time or two. But, it’s still odd to think I have enough to find one stuck in something that belongs to me—and a long one at that. The mirror doesn’t say that my scalp’s tide is turning from dark to light. Maybe this is just another sign of youth’s waning.
I’ve refrained from plucking out the gray hairs as if that somehow be an admission of defeat or an easy way out of the aging process. Besides if I were to continue that habit, I just might end up bald and I’m sure I have a lumpy head. Also, there’s that old wives tale that says if you pluck out one grey hair, seven more grow in its place.
I suppose this is all inevitable. The grey hairs must accompany the creaking joints…the sound track has to have a stage show after all. I couldn’t quite bring myself to dispose of that grey hair. It’s still sitting on my desk (unless it’s been blown away). I suppose I could put it under my pillow, like I did with my first “lost” tooth. Only instead of money, I hope the grey hair fairy keeps those seven extras to grow in its place, especially since I didn’t purposefully pluck out this one.
Reader Comments (8)
Even your spelling of "grey" is old! (Well, British anyway. Or are you one of those belligerent Southerners who like to use pre-Webster spelling as a subtle protest?)
I wouldn't worry about it. In the cultural battle--however we're going to define the sides--I have to think Orthodoxy comes out decidedly opposite to our modern world where grey/gray hairs are concerned. The Bible certainly has a lot of good to say about gray hair; and if tradition--as G. K. Chesterton says--is democracy for both the living and the dead, then surely it reserves a place of honor for those who have one foot in each camp :-)
Not a belligerant southerner here...just one who likes the old spellings. Sometimes I even still use "catsup."
I'm not all that worried about the greys...it is startling sometimes to realize time is passing though. Too quickly it seems sometimes!
Trevor just plucked a very long gray hair from my head the other day. I've also got the start of crows feet. You mean I'm not in my twenties anymore?!
Hah...crows feet. Why do they call them that? Why can't they be something more Romantic sounding like "wisdom tracks?"
My mid to late 30's (I'm 36, just on the cusp of late 30's, I guess) have been a good time. There's still stuff to look forward to...just out of that latent holding pattern that is late adolescence/20's...
..."wisdom trails." I think I like that better...
Laura,
These things happen. I've been turning grey... I mean silver (more distinguished, ahem)... since I found the first silver hair way back at 18 years old, and now I've almost caught up to my father. So, there you go. Since you and I are about the same age, you're way behind!
Oh, wanted to mention... Amy got E.B. White's "Essays" a couple of months ago (perhaps due to your posts; I can't recall) and I've been reading them. Wonderful stuff. Reminds me a lot of Annie Dillard's early stuff in its connection to nature. Have you ever read "Teaching a Stone to Talk" or "Holy the Firm" by Dillard?
Nothing like a good book to take the mind off of the silver!
John
I don't usually mind grey hair (and it helps a bit that dh is quite a bit greyer than I am) but the other day, I lifted up my bangs to discover an entire row of them. That isn't so pretty.
@ John: I haven't read any Annie Dillard...but I keep hearing about how wonderful her writing is so I will check her out starting with her recommendations. Silver, eh...has a nice ring to it!
@ Mimi: I seem to have a whole crop growing over my left temple. It's in other places too, but I think it might "show" there soon.
BTW...this really doesn't bother me too much. I was attempting to find some humor in the whole thing...