I was very vain regarding my hair color. I’d grown up a redhead when red hair wasn’t
always the desired color. In fact, it was the outwardly rejected and repulsed
color as taunts and teasing would testify, yet inwardly it was the color envied by
most. As I began to battle the thinning and losing of my hair I clung to the
color of my youth because it was the one thing that caused me to stand out
among the crowd and caused others to usually always remember me. Since I paid the price as a battle warrior
(think Disney’s Merida) I was now going to wear my earned crown with pleasure
into my adult years of life.
But the aging process began to win. My hair began to thin, and I began to fret. What now were my options? Should I try a hair transplant? I had toyed inwardly with this idea for YEARS
and then my father brought it up and mentioned he would “help” me if I wanted
to investigate it. I began to realize that since
he brought it up, my hair loss was much more noticeable than others tried to
make me believe. My hair stylist said
that those she knew who had tried transplants were disappointed over time with the
results. Well then, what about wigs? I visited a
salon some years ago and the wig master working the floor stated that I would
have to wear full coverage wigs as I didn’t have enough hair to support partial
pieces. That was a let down because I just wasn’t ready to wear a full coverage
wig. Yet, I kept perusing the many wig catalogs and would order one, try it on, freak out and send it
back. Time and again I tried to find my comfort zone against a battle that I wasn't winning.
A few more years went by and I began toying with the wig options again because they were affordable, and the quality and styles improved immensely! A good friend put me in touch with another woman near my age who opted to begin wearing wigs full-time and looked beautiful in them! So, with a vote of confidence and assistance in trying wigs on, I ordered a few new wigs again all in the color of my youth. But in order to wear them comfortably and without added “heat” to the scalp, I had my hair shaved like a 1950’s buzz cut. This was a huge step and transformation for me! I wore the wigs faithfully for a short while, but as soon as I would come home not only did I get my lounging clothes on, but the wig would come off in one fell swoop. The current heat wave prompted my life-change rapidly and without a second thought. It was super freeing to not have to mess with anything on top of my head!
Slowly I began to get accustomed to the look of my head with such short and blaring white hair! I could hardly believe how white I was and yet I couldn’t look away! I thought it was pretty, but I didn’t dare leave the wigs off just yet. How would visiting vendors respond when coming into the office? How about meeting others for the first time or simply going out to eat or church or grocery shopping? I put an announcement out on FB, declaring to the world of the routes I was taking and backed it up with photos, but also with a disclaimer that this was purely for comfort reasons and not for any impending health reason. Like a cloak of many colors you’re bound to find me in an array of changes on top of my head. Would I be sporting a colorful red-haired wig or a white-haired buzz? Perhaps a stylish Fedora or head scarf? One will never know how I might arrive!
Oh, and also as a testimony to aging with confidence, I don’t
wear any Spanx! 😜
"I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you" Isaiah 46:4
"I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you" Isaiah 46:4
