I always swore I would never go “gray-c-fully”; but here we are. Now, before you clutch your pearls and reach for a bottle of hair dye, let me walk you through the rollercoaster of emotions — and hair products — that have come with this bold decision.
Let’s start with the moment I made the decision. I was sitting on the porch, sipping sweet tea and thinking about life decisions…not. It was actually a long period of wondering, discussions with my very adored and trusted hairdresser, and then her very heart-breaking, unexpected death that really made the decision for me. See, after losing someone I trusted with my hair it took me a while to wrap my mind around what to do next. I would have never actually had the courage to do this, especially in the naturally, God-ordained way! But, since my all mighty creator understands that about me, he used this “what to do next period" to let glitter to shoot from my scalp faster than a cat on a hot tin roof. So, at some point, I just looked in the mirror and thought, “well, I have come this far.” After all, if Southern women are known for anything, it’s our ability go big or go home — and what’s bigger than a head full of silver?
If I am being thoroughly transparent, the true Southern drama is in the transition period (which I have seen last from a few months to a few years - if one chooses to avoid chemical assistance!) Let me tell you about this transition phase. It’s like trying to make biscuits without a recipe or a Southern Mama's guidance — messy and full of uncertainty. I started off with a lovely dream of “salt and pepper", which, let’s be honest, is more like “salt, pepper, and a whole lot of confusion.” Many days I feel like I am in a bad country music video where the singer is trying to decide if she’s going to embrace her inner grey or just drown it in dye.
And the comments! Oh, the comments! “Are you feeling okay?” “You know you can dye that, right?” and my favorite from one of my longest (notice I did not say oldest), dearest friends, "Are you doing a thing?" No, I am not "doing a thing." Yes, I know I can dye it. But can you dye my spirit? Because it’s feeling pretty liberated right now!
As the weeks are turning into months, I am beginning to embrace my new look. I am starting to see a season when I will fully channel my inner silver-haired goddess. Though, it is challenging and I have experimented with different hairstyles to showcase my fabulous greys. A top knot here, a messy bun there. I even tried to get a little fancy with some hair accessories. Spoiler alert: if you’re going to wear a headband with grey hair, just make sure it doesn’t have sparkles. You’ll end up looking like a disco ball at a church picnic.
So here I am, a Southern woman in the prime of her life, proudly sporting my emerging silver locks. And you know what? I’ve never felt more like myself. The grey hair is a badge of honor, a symbol of all the laughter, tears, and sweet tea that have colored my life. But, I would be a liar if I didn’t admit that at least once a week I find my resolve to embrace all this glitter and sparkle wavering and a box of Autumn Burnette becomes a siren's call.
So, to all my fellow Southern belles out there considering the plunge: go for it! Embrace the glitter shooting from your head. Rock some gorgeous Paula Deen silver! You might just find that it adds a little extra sparkle to your already fabulous self — just maybe not too much sparkle. We don’t want to blind anyone at the church potluck!
Ultimately, I’m Southern, and we pride ourselves on our resilience. I’ve survived hurricanes, humidity that could fry an egg, and all manner of flying insects. I can handle a little grey hair! Here’s to grey hair, sweet tea, and the Southern spirit that keeps us all shining bright!
