Welcome to my weekly series documenting the countdown to my 50th birthday in April 2025.
Each week, I’ll share my thoughts, fears, celebrations, and revelations as I approach this milestone.
This is Week 1, where I confront my first visible nemesis: those persistent grey hairs.
I am turning 50 in six months, and I’ve decided to document this journey – the good, the bad, and the grey.
Week 1: The Grey Rebellion
The first thing that heralds old age is the grey, or if you’re lucky – silver.
Well, I got the dowdy greys. They started as sneaky infiltrators in my 30s and 40s,
but post-48, they’ve staged a full-blown revolution around my face,
forming what I not-so-lovingly call my “grey halo.”
And darlings, I bloody hate it.
I’m not ready for grey. Hell no. I’m not ready to go all dowdy.
While I’m no fashionista, I know with certainty that “grey” isn’t my color.
Over the years, I’ve been faithfully coloring my hair, though I’ve moved away from my original raven black – that would look too faux now.
At malls and clubs, I see these magnificent women rocking their salt-and-pepper vixen looks.
I find myself wishing I had their confidence, their panache, their effortless sex appeal.
Meanwhile, I’m still dyeing my greys, and every time I look in the mirror,
I love seeing them disappear under rich dark brown.
I’ve contemplated going au naturale, letting it all grow out. But I’m not there yet.
Am I being a coward for not accepting my greys, or am I staging my own rebellion against age with every box of hair color?
Maybe it’s simpler than that – maybe I’m just trying to look my best,
even though most days I barely glance in the mirror except to check my hair and ensure I’m put together before heading to a party.
The Politics of Hair
Hair politique is real, especially in this era of social media where we’re all chasing those thumbs up.
Remember when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards over that Alopecia joke about Jada?
Hair matters. It’s personal. It’s political. It’s complicated.
My own hair journey has been quite the ride.
I’ve had Delhi stylists insisting I should straighten my wavy, dry hair – and I did, only to feel like an imposter.
Then I found my hair angels, Elvis and Reema, who taught me to embrace my natural texture.
They’ve promised to hold my hand whenever I decide to transition to my greyer self.
And there’s my local stylist Anil, who tenderly battles my knots while muttering under his breath –
his care for my hair has won my heart.
The Road Ahead
So here I am, six months from fifty, and I honestly don’t know what style I’ll be sporting when I blow out those birthday candles.
Will I still be covering the greys? Or will I finally join the silver vixen club?
What I do know is that I’ll be here every week, sharing this journey with you.
We’ll talk about more than just hair – we’ll dive into all aspects of approaching fifty:
the body changes, the shifting priorities, the unexpected joys,
and yes, probably more than a few existential crises.
Join me next week when I tackle another aspect of turning 50.
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Are you on a similar journey? How are you handling your relationship with aging?
Let’s create a community of support, love, and compassion as we navigate these transformative years together.
JourneyingTo50 #AgingGracefully #greyhairdontcare #MaybeIllCareNextWeek #FiftyAndFabulous #WeeklyBlog
