Demonstrating my right to choose…

Believe it or not, my going grey has caused a lot of people to struggle. 

I’ve heard so many comments and objections. Things like, “You’re too young!” or “You’re too pretty…” Thanks but
really? 

I started greying when I was 26 and have been spending a fortune
to hide it ever since.  I have stained countless items of clothing doing it myself, I’ve spent hours in salons. I’ve even let friends and family have at it (one such incident left me looking like a basketball.)

My brother recently reminded me that as a little girl, I threw a fit and insisted my mother was absolutely
forbidden to let her hair go gray. I hadn’t remembered that until he brought it up. I remember feeling that she was my world and that grey meant old and that old meant death. This was an idea that I subconsciously carried into my own adulthood. Today, I understand that those were the thoughts of a little girl affected by the worlds idea about aging. Oddly enough, my son who is nine, has not objected one bit to my grey but instead continues to reinforce how beautiful he thinks I am, no matter what. (Oh my gosh that kid breaks my heart, I’m regularly inspired by his love and compassion!!!)

I’m not ashamed to be my age. I am healthy and like how I look but most of all, I like having CHOICES. I like the idea of being grey, or brown, or red or blonde as an accessory NOT as a definition of my being. If I choose dye or not, I ALWAYS want to choose
ME…

SO today I am grey until I choose not to be. It is not my intention to make others uncomfortable or to make myself less attractive physically. It is my intention to be me. I did post this picture on Facebook and received so much love.

“…Our deepest fear
is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is
that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness,
that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are
a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s
nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel
insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were
born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just
in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we
unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re
liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates
others.”  ~Marianne Williamson

As I shine on in my own way, I am honored to inspire others to shine too.