Gray hair is not really gray is it? It is usually well, white! So where did gray hair get the bad rap and why does gray hair dredge up negative thoughts of aging? My hair is white, and “gray” can be anywhere from gray or yellow. Some people even have the “salt and pepper” look. But my hair is white. I like white, it is pretty.

I am gray, I am premature gray. Not a thing I can do about it either. I started the fight against gray in my twenties. Ever so slowly as it took over I did what any normal woman would do, I starting coloring it. At first this was not so bad. In fact, it was fun. It was like changing contact lens color, something to add to my looks like well, glasses or jewelry. But then what was a gradual process began accelerating in my thirties.

I was coloring my hair once a month then every three weeks then every two weeks. It was beginning to become a major chore and the fun was over. I didn’t like the hassle. Then I hit my forties and decided this is getting really old, I mean old! No not me, I mean coloring my hair. But I couldn’t give it up because peer pressure determined I was too young to be gray so I kept coloring.

Then an amazing thing happened. When I moved to Europe I noticed that women did not have the vanity issue about aging and coloring their hair. And in fact, women all over were coming into their own beginning to accept and embrace their age and so I decided to bite the bullet and stop coloring my hair. And oh man! It was pure white! Not gray, that denotes a bland color doesn’t it? But my hair is white. Really WHITE! and it is healthy.

The first couple of years it was white I didn’t think much of it except what a relief not to continue a bi-monthly ritual of coloring. But then a unique thing began to happen. People would walk up to me and ask to touch my hair. There I was in Brussels Belgium walking through the Grande Place and a Belgian lady would approach me and ask to touch my hair. “It is pretty” she said, “how do you make it like that?” All I could say was, “it is just natural”. I started feeling pretty good about my white hair then I came back to the United States and first on my list was to get a cut and color job! I went to a stylist who wouldn’t color my hair. She said, “Why would you want to do that, it is beautiful?” And so I didn’t think about it again for years then about 6 months ago I decided I need a change again and to another stylist. She went on about how pretty and healthy my hair was and “how do you keep it so healthy?”

And so I decided to keep it gray. Or should I say white. I am in my fifties so it is starting to fit me and when I started this blog, Gray Gaia, it felt right to keep it gray. There are some famous women who wear their white like Helen Mirren or Jamie Lee Curtis. Though I am not famous and just a regular gal who is living a regular life I do love my white hair!