Several
articles or incidents have featured recently about ‘going without’- without
dyeing the grey, without cosmetics, without television and so on. They made me smile for several reasons.
Let’s
take the grey hair first. Frequent
advice that I receive is, ‘Why don’t you dye, you’d look so much younger!’ The
road to 60+ was not lined with marshmallow nor was I wafted along on a cloud.
On the contrary, the road was sometimes rough and stormy, sometimes unlit and
sometimes blocked. Don’t get me wrong,
there were broad and comfortable stretches too.
It was like most journeys and having reached where I am today, I see no
reason to conceal the fact. Staying grey
was never a debate or a difficult decision.
I am just happy to be me. Yet the
articles on the subject all speak of the trauma of discovery, the inner
conflict to dye or not to dye, the apparent distress at other’s comments, the
daily struggle to look in the mirror and see an unfamiliar (undesired?)
visage. Weigh that against being tied to
a bottle of colour, regular trips to the hairdresser, the anxious checking of
roots to see whether they show, the constant attention to tresses that need
extra care. Nothing can compensate for
the lightness of being and the freedom to be.
And what I’ve saved in costs can be happily spent on stuff for my
crochet or reading. Now that’s an
unbeatable bonus!
Then
there are the innumerable cosmetics that help us create that perfect mask. According to my father, ‘war paint’!! A trip to Europe, many years ago, revealed
the fact that most women there hardly use cosmetics at all. Perhaps moisturizer for excessive dryness, a
dash of lipstick for a more formal occasions and dab of perfume to keep one
sweet. No wonder the cosmetic companies
turned their attention to India. Kohl or kajal, haldi/malai, mehendi and
cochineal have been part of a tradition that goes way, way back. I love the way we outline our eyes so
dramatically and expressively and, yes, kajal
is the one cosmetic I still advocate. But for the rest, I think that my
laughter caused crow’s feet compensate for the furrows made by the endless
perusal of manuscripts in the pursuit of printer’s devils. Character maps the face and makes it readable.
You know the person you are dealing with.
If you have ever spoken to a person who does not remove his or her
sunglasses, you’ll know the feeling. If
you cannot see the eyes, you are groping in the dark – literally! Bottomline?
There’s nothing like the fresh skin feeling that comes from knowing just
natural soap and water and a brisk rub with a towel.
The
third in the trilogy: giving up TV. Well, here I have to admit to an addiction:
books. Given the pull of a good book, TV
comes in a very poor second, or third, or…. Once I get my nose between the
pages, the hours just fly. I get to
visit people and places, real and imaginary; learn things I might never have
discovered and experience the beauty of a language manipulated by skilful
minds. And the TV gathers dust. Need I say more?
May
your days be as free of encumbrances and may you enjoy a life more natural,
vibrant and filled with the joy of being the real you!
