Gray hair is only on the outside

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2013/06/29/368174_opinion.html

Grey hair is only on the outside

Shaun Viljoen | June 29th, 2013

SHAUN VILJOEN: OH, look, there's a blond hair in my beard. Hang on, that's not blond ... that's grey.
The sound of the razor hitting the tiles echoes through the bathroom. A scream rings out in the morning quiet. Startled birds take to the sky.

OK, it wasn't quite that bad. But that first grey hair wasn't exactly welcome. That lousy single strand bereft of pigment signalled the beginning of the end for my once youthful beard. And it wasn't long before that colourless gatecrasher invited along some of his friends.

At first I thought I could evict them individually, but, like the Hydra of myth, for each one I'd remove, two would return in its place.

Fine, I thought. I'll just stay clean shaven. What I hadn't counted on was that men's razors seem to retail for about the same price as a small Korean-made hatchback. At this rate I was going to be in the red as well as the grey. It was time to admit defeat.

Of course, it's no longer only my facial hair. The little buggers have moved into my sideburns and are no doubt plotting their assault on the foliage above.

Scarily, a few intrepid explorers have also set off south, missionaries headed to the islands in the hope of converting the locals.

In truth, though, after a little adjustment period and some contemplation, I realised that there are far worse things in life. Let's face it, Mother Nature will have her way with all of us, so why waste time fighting it? C'est la vie.

But not every bloke is comfortable with the transition. So here are a few tips for dealing with them sensitively.

Firstly, don't ever say "it makes you look distinguished". This is one of those gild-the-lily expressions like "she's got a great personality".

Secondly, no one wants to hear "it works for George Clooney". Mr Clooney is a dashing, multi-millionaire movie star. A kaftan made of roadkill would look good on George Clooney.

Some men are so concerned about going grey they turn to colouring products in an attempt to disguise the change.

These dyes are usually about as convincing as a Tiger Woods apology. Perhaps these gents have fallen for the advertising, which, I'm sorry, I don't buy. Am I to believe that if I colour my hair, beautiful women will be falling over themselves to go fencing with me? I don't even like fencing.

Look, let's be honest. For me this isn't a grey area (pun intended). There's nothing wrong with looking after your outward appearance but when you try too hard to fight ageing you end up stressed and obsessive, and looking a lot weirder and sadder than if you had just let it be.

And this isn't only about grey hair. We've all seen the frozen-faced victims of Botox overkill and the comical comb-over of the balding man in denial. We've all seen the sad old bloke in the expensive red sports car and the middle-aged woman trying to squeeze into the teenage fashions worn by her daughters.

Real youthfulness is not cosmetic. It's not about facades. It's about your attitude and approach to life.

Stay healthy, laugh, play, explore, create, live. Think of all the things we celebrate about children and try to inject some of them into your life - honesty, enthusiasm, imagination and a willingness to try new things.

Do that, and you might still be grey, but you'll never really be old. Anyway, I've got to wind this up, I'm late for my fencing lesson.

Great article - thanks x

Your welcome theminis  

Thanks Catie for the nice article

 

That is a good article.

You know one morning I woke up and do my make up like always and than I saw something what I never saw before. A grey hair on my EYEBROWS. I was shocked.
 
I agree with all the "Stay healthy, laugh, play, explore, create, live" things but I will start coloring my eye brows anyway.   LOL

I can beat that. I discovered 1 lone hair on my upper lip, now I wax

Ha ha haaa

HAHA back at you Amaretti -

Did you check very closely TheMinis and make sure you didn't have one on your CHIN too?????? *running to mirror to find one loooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnngggggggggg chin hair!!!!

Oh please Mel, I didn't want to seem a freak!!! but alas I am continually plucking the odd hair out of my chin, ooh early 40's are no fun.

@theminis wrote:Oh please Mel, I didn't want to seem a freak!!! but alas I am continually plucking the odd hair out of my chin, ooh early 40's are no fun.  

Don't feel bad you are not alone. I'm a natural blonde so it's not too bad, my daughter takes after her Italian father and she is constantly plucking. She's young but I think it has nothing to do with age, it in the genes.

 

All us ladies have some hair, e, i, e, i, o.
On those chins and upper lips, e, i, e, i, o.
With a pluck pluck here and a pluck pluck there,
Here a pluck, there a pluck, everywhere a pluck pluck.
All us ladies have some hair, E, I, E, I, OOOOOSHIT!!!

*to the tune of Old MacDonald had a Farm!

He he heee Mel you are too funny .

Funny ladies!

I've just moved this to the non-George part of the forum because it's really got nothing to do with him.

ooopsy Im supposed to know better but keep going off topic - sorry

No worries, it was off topic to begin with anyway so take it where you will!

I was in shock the day I noticed that my leg hairs were turning grey. Would be much better if they just didnt grow back after I shaved them