Am I old now?

This is a picture of me.  It was taken in late June or early July.  It was taken before I had gray hair, or so I thought.  I was working at the salon yesterday and decided that rather wear my hair straight down, I would pull up some of the sides and pin it back with a sassy little bump at the crown.  You know what I'm talking about, kind of half up-half down.  Most of my hair is dark, I have highlights on top but underneath is dark brown. 

I am running my fingers through my hair, getting it pulled up just right and THERE. IT. IS.  On my left side right between my ear and my temple...the evil little strand, trying to blend it's way into my silky brown locks.  I looked at it, and again and I even did a triple take.  I then said to myself "Allyssa, it's not some random highlight, it's all alone."  The first step is admitting it right?  "It's your first gray hair."  I gently separated it from the 'good hair' and I studied it for quite some time.  Do I leave it there, do I pluck it, what if five grow back where there was once just that one?  You are a hairstylist, you know that's a myth...PULL IT OUT! 

And so I did and I sat there with it on my lap wondering what I should do with it.  Should I take a picture of it...proof that I really am aging?  Nah, I tried...my camera phone couldn't even pick it up on the screen.  Do I save it?  Hide it under my pillow in hopes of a gray hair fairy to come and take it from me and leave me with a promise that I wouldn't have anymore gray hair as long as I shall live?  Wait, I color my hair, I can make it disappear in a matter of minutes.  

And there I was, me and my little gray hair.  Who am I kidding, this thing was about 4 inches long!  Strong, course and thick up top, thin and wavy at the bottom.  There's no telling how long this thing had been growing and I'm just now noticing it!?!  Let me just say that I am glad I was alone when I found it, I was able to come to terms with how things are going to be from now on.  I used to be in the "I don't have any gray hair" category, now I've graduated to the "I found my first gray hair" category.

Dear friends, I am ok with this.  People live with gray hair all the time, people also live without gray hair as well.  It's time to embrace this aging thing.  I WILL!  I HAVE!

I WILL just HAVE to start coloring my hair more often!