My grandmother was a treasure trove of little sayings and songs, many of which are trapped forever in the recesses of my mind, breaking out when I least expect them. One that is replaying in my head of late is The Old Gray Mare. You remember don’t you? "The old gray mare, she ain’t what she used to be….." As I hum involuntarily questions come to mind:
I wonder if she was always gray? Or at some point along the way did little renegade white hairs begin to pop out like corkscrews in all sorts of odd directions?
I wonder if she stared in the mirror thinking, “Huh. That is MY hair. Go figure.”
I wonder if she found herself musing over the arguments for going gray trying to decide if it was noble or just unnecessarily scrupulous?
I wonder if she thought maybe if she just let it be she would someday look like Diane Keaton or Jamie Lee Curtis? Even if she IS a very short mare….
I wonder if she ever realized that while Taylor Hicks and Richard Gere and a host of other men are thought to be cutting edge cool with their gray, google could not pull up any other gray actresses ….
I wonder what happens when she wanders out to pasture? Do the other horses think her gray is a “crown of glory” or do they just think she let herself go?
I wonder if she ever considered coloring her mane?
I wonder if the prospect of cancer from dark hair dye made her then shiver?
I wonder if the prospect of vegetable dyes left her with flashback images of bad henna jobs from the 70s?
I wonder if she felt coloring hair would be of no more importance than brushing a hint of blush across one’s cheeks or if it was somehow not being authentically herself?
Just wondering. Hypothetically of course….
Starry Sky Journal 
Well done! Now when you get the answers to the questions please post them….maybe it will help me make up my mind…and graying hair. 😉
I only know the daughter of the old grey mare:
The daughter of the old grey mare,
was a stubborn little filly I declare,
why she even threw the boss, when he thought he was across,
she’s the daughter of the old grey mare
Anyway, being a stubborn little filly I do not go gentle into that grey twilight! 🙂
Kim, what do you think about going gray? I haven’t thought too much about it. I’m just letting it take over my black hair. I think the time and the cost of coloring it deters me from doing it. But we make the time and find the money for what’s important to us, don’t we?
Right there with you….trying to figure it all out….
Thanks for the giggle! You figure that one out and let me know, okay?
LOL! I am sure you would look at least as good as Jamie and Diane do with their grey, should you choose to go that route. Oh, but that wasn’t what you were asking — I forgot : ). BTW, she’s not an actress, but don’t forget Emmylou Harris if you’re talking about making grey look good.
My mother has gray hair & she has it frosted a kind of light golden color that is nice. If she didn’t, she would not look good (her face looks washed out with the gray) – and I think my Mom is beautiful. On the other hand, my husband’s 92-year-old grandmother looks GORGEOUS in her pure white hair. I think it is different with each woman – although I have to say that the raspberry-toned auburn I see on many older women does not look good on ANYONE, no matter what her age – don’t go there!