Grey Hair Management 三千烦恼丝

I wrote this a few years ago when I was still working. It was a light hearted piece. I think a lot of my friends close to my age can echo the sentiment.

During yesterday's Sunday service, I got a text message in my phone, "Where are you, Patty? I don't see you. We sit in the last row." So I turned my head and now they (两位姐妹) saw me and smiled. The reason they couldn't find me is I have colored my hair to chestnut brown, which is much lighter than what I used to wear. While I got a lot of positive comments about my new color, I was also told now I look more Mexican than Chinese. I'm not too proud of this. It's my hair stylist's strategy to blend in my grey hair. (He said he'll color it darker for free next time if I don't like it.) Well, how do you fight the 三千烦恼丝?!

I remember about many years ago when I was in NJ, Rutger's Chinese church, the ladies in the Cantonese fellowship group talked a lot about coloring hair, methods and the best products etc. At that time, I did not participate much, just listened quietly and smiled. Now a few years later, it has become my problem and I have to find a way to manage my grey hair. I don't know what I'll do with my hair in the next ten years. However, I do know as long as I work in the IT field with all the young people in the management, having a head of grey hair is not an "asset" and I have to fight it till I retire. So if the Lord is willing, it might be a while before I can "grow old gracefully".

As I get older, more and more I hear people close to my age pass away. Before, it's the older generation passing but now my age group is coming up. My ex-sister-in-law died a few months ago of breast cancer. Recently, I heard of a friend died of liver failure, all very sad. Hearing about my friends having surgeries or illnesses, my grey hair problem seems so insignificant. Life is fragile. I'm constantly reminded of Psalm 73:24-25 and the Chinese hymn 除你以外. Even though my body is weakened by old age, God strengthens me. Who else do I have but Him! If the Lord is willing, I still have hair to manage:)