{"id":554,"date":"2015-03-14T20:30:44","date_gmt":"2015-03-14T18:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hbne.co.il?p=554"},"modified":"2019-11-05T13:58:56","modified_gmt":"2019-11-05T11:58:56","slug":"an-affair-with-hair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hbne.co.il\/?p=554","title":{"rendered":"An Affair With Hair"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"turtle2\"<\/a>Thirty four years of marriage.<\/h2>\n

What does that say about me?<\/h3>\n

That I am \u200eold?!\u200e<\/h3>\n

Admittedly my memory is patchy but occasionally clear images \u200esurface. I recall my mother\u2019s thirtieth birthday (or it may have been \u200eher fortieth\u2026).<\/p>\n

\u200e\u200e\u200eEtched in my memory are my mother\u2019s \u200edisappointment, dread and depression: the end of the world as she \u200eknew it had arrived!
\n\u200e
\n\u200e\u200e\u200eOn the other hand, I remember Mr Hickey, my \u200e\u200e\u201cone moment to retirement English teacher\u201d, in my senior year of high \u200eschool. Mr Hickey smoked like a chimney: all withered, wrinkled and \u200eshriveled up was he.\u200e<\/h3>\n

\u200e\u200e\u200eOne day during class, he loudly declared that he \u200ewould not trade places with us (and return to the age of eighteen) not \u200eeven for all of the treasures of the world! \u200e<\/h3>\n

What a strange thing to say…\u200e<\/h2>\n

This week we celebrated our thirty fourth wedding anniversary. Just \u200ethe day before I read a blog about the former Maskit designer store chain<\/a>. Maskit was known for its upscale Israeli ethnic design and \u200equality. Maskit was home to a magnificent collection of clothes, \u200ejewelery, paintings and other handicraft. Coincidently, I myself wore a \u200eMaskit wedding dress and it hangs in my closet to this day. I \u200eresponded to the post and I mentioned my dress. The blogger was \u200every excited to hear about my dress and asked me if I would post a \u200epicture online. I promised to do so the next day (in daylight) which just \u200ehappened to be our anniversary.\u200e<\/p>\n

A coincidence?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been told that there is no such thing as chance …<\/strong><\/p>\n

I'm inclined to agree.\u200e<\/strong><\/p>\n

At my ancient age (!), I can say that over the years I have stood out \u200efrom the crowd: at first unconsciously and later by choice. I grew up in \u200eCanada both as an American and as a Jew in a remote area far from \u200eany Jewish community. At my high school graduation ceremony, I \u200eabandoned the usual evening gown attire and showed up in full tux \u200ecomplete with the dressings of hat and tail. At the age of nineteen, I \u200eimmigrated unshaven (the natural look \u2013 both armpits and legs …) and \u200ealone to Israel.\u200e<\/p>\n

When I was twenty something my hair began turning grey. I was thirty \u200esomething when I traded my long locks of hair for a Pixie cropped cut. \u200eAt forty something, for one stormy night, I died my Pixie platinum \u200eblonde. It was but moments before my fiftieth birthday that I stopped \u200edying my hair\u2026\u200e<\/p>\n

The shift began during a journey to the Galapagos Islands. I met my \u200edaughter in South America at the end of her gap year wandering the \u200econtinent. I did not feel like messing with color: not on the trip and \u200eespecially not on the cruise. I was curious to know what my new hair \u200egrowth would look like: white as snow, gray or salt and pepper?<\/a> \u200eWould the change age me?\u200e<\/p>\n

The adventure began!<\/h2>\n

Since my hair was very short, I knew that by the \u200eend of the trip I have a good idea whether natural look flattered me or \u200enot. I was surprised to discover that my hair, unlike my father\u2019s which \u200eturned white as snow in his twenties, became a beautiful mixture of \u200esalt and pepper. As the color was so interesting, the decision to stop \u200ebeing a slave (coloring every two to three weeks) to my hair color was an easy \u200eone. I went back home with my new natural look.\u200e<\/p>\n

It is no secret that men have an ongoing affair with hair … There \u200eseems to be something particularly attractive about long hair. Perhaps \u200eit designates a fertile, healthy and suitable mate? One day, Stella, my \u200ehairdresser, informed me that today was makeover time. I came \u200ehome cropped and almost totally hairless. I certainly surprised my \u200epartner. He had no forewarning of the momentous event. To his credit \u200eI must say that despite his disappointment he said, "Hey that\u2019s cute. It \u200esuits you!" \u200e<\/p>\n

Such was not the case when I decided to die my hair platinum blonde. \u200eHe had nightmares all night. He did not understand who this stranger \u200ewas lying next to him in bed!<\/p>\n

When he first met me with my new and \u200enatural gray look, he actually complimented me. He emphasized how \u200emuch he preferred the natural look and that it suited me.<\/p>\n

\u200e\u200e\u200e\u200eOf particular interest it was to notice men\u2019s reactions. Most of them \u200ewere very complementary and liked the metamorphosis. Many told \u200eme that I looked younger and there was a new and beautiful depth to \u200emy eyes. Surprisingly, only one woman expressed her shock and vocal \u200edisapproval of my grey locks: \u200e \u200e<\/h3>\n

\u200e\u200e\u200e"You have a such a young face; there is \u200eno place on it for gray hair!"\u200e \u200e<\/h3>\n

\u200eIn the light of day my wedding dress of thirty-four years lost its luster, \u200equite different from my memory. It is not as white as it used to be. I \u200ethought that just for fun I would try it on. I opened twenty-something \u200esmall and delicate buttons only to discover that there was no chance \u200ethat they would close around me.\u200e<\/p>\n

Was I ever so thin?!\u200e<\/h2>\n

Although I still have quite a ways to go until retirement, I complete \u200eagree with Mr Hickey\u2019s sentiments. It's heartwarming to see photos \u200efrom the past, recall distant and forgotten events.<\/p>\n

\u200e\u200e\u200eGoing back decades \u200ein time, however, has absolutely no appeal! \u200e \u200e<\/h3>\n

\u200eI am happy with the here \u200eand now. Abundance and joy mark my days. I look ahead in \u200eanticipation. The future is where dreams await: many a sweet memory \u200eto be crafted.<\/h2>\n
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