This week when I got my hair cut and I realised I was getting old. Finally, I had to admit that I was no longer Peter Pan.
Sure certain things in my life indicated that life was changing: a new house where the pool table was replaced by a swimming pool and the wet bar replaced by a formal lounge room with no bar!
But it was last week when reality set in. And no the barber didn’t offer me a Senior’s Discount! Nor did he stop offering me a lolly for being good while I had sat in his chair.
No it was not the more visible grey hair. I saw the first one of them over 2 years ago. I am no longer in denial and was able to justify this to myself by saying young men prematurely go grey! Plus, if I keep it cut short, then it is hard to see the greys with the scalp as the back ground.
No, I realised I had moved into a new age category when the barber without asking (glad he didn’t actually) took it upon himself to use the electronic clippers to shave the hairs on my ear lobes!
Yes, I had seen them there. I noticed them about 12 weeks ago. I have to admit I kept hoping that they would disappear, as miraculously as they appeared. But my wish had not been met, in fact the opposite, they continued to grow – on both ears!
Don’t get me wrong these hairs didn’t come close to the world record of ear lobe hair held by Radhakant Baijpai the Indian Greengrocer who tipped the tape measure at 25cm in 2009!
I was pretty embarrassed and I am not really sure why. This is a natural occurrence, which according to www.ehow.com: “Older men are most affected by unwanted ear hair, but there is no absolute answer as to why this happens. One theory postulates that testosterone, the male hormone, has a brazen effect on the hair follicles around the ears and nose, which have become more sensitive with age.”
Why then was I embarrassed?
I still don’t know but while sitting in the chair I pondered other noticeable changes in my body – very easy to do when staring into a mirror for 30 minutes. And maybe this is my therapy sharing it with you but I noticed my eyebrows had some seriously long hairs and of course the nasal hair was starting to grow down.
But these were visible changes and only on my head. What about the rest of my body? What about internally?
I didn’t break into a sweat in the barber’s chair at this moment and wonder what else was wrong with me. If anything I became more at ease with my age and my body changing.
I realised that in my 20’s my exercise routine was for sport – performance. In my 30’s it was for looking good – vanity. In my 40’s it is about health.
I know if I continue my exercise program I will reduce my risk of heart disease, diabetes, depression, cancer and more. Plus I’ll have the energy to keep up with my 18 month old. Exercise is about adding life to my years. I just have to continue it now more than ever.
To signify I was now at ease with my changes, I said to the barber, “Could you please tidy up those eyebrows for me, they are looking a bit wild?”
What about you? What will you do to signify you are comfortable in your aging process?
