Let me walk in grey.

Lying on deathbed, it was her journey last 

Calm and composed,

she looked so still and stiff. 

And anyhow I reached to see her, for one last time.

Touched her cold feet and felt her very existence, 

was just not able to take my eyes off that pale face of hers; 

But soon she was away from me, 

For never to come back again

 and there left finally  

For her heavenly abode. 

Before I could be in my senses,

Sudden pinching words echoed in my ears; 

Those were of my few relatives. 

I was judged, 

I was criticised 

for my appearance which was not that appealing, 

with those grey hair and a simple look. 

For the occasion, the place was certainly not to talk about;  

I decided to be silent on the insensitiveness that they showed, 

instead of giving condolences, I was questioned,

Why didn’t I get my hair coloured?

Sounded like I had just committed some offence. 

Deep within I was hurt intensely, 

Broken and devastated,

 It was an immense loss for me.

Her voice that I would never be able to hear again and 

In that very situation also my grey hair grabbed all the attention. 

Dear Society, 

Why a woman always?

For it’s her life, it’s her choices; 

Give her that much freedom at least 

And Leave it to her to decide

that how she wants to look and what She wants to wear. 

Whenever and wherever I go, 

 Friends, neighbours, relatives or even at a public place, all have something to say about my grey hair,

It’s a bold step, 

that needs lots of guts to let your hair go grey,

 suits you a lot and you carry so confidently;

something very unusual,

something that is rarely seen;  

a woman can’t step out even if she has a single strand of grey hair,

 Is it so? I marvel.

Couldn’t make out were praising or captive of stereotype thinking;

And Not to forget, for some

grey hair is a sign of depression too;

Doesn’t look good especially and solely on women.

We live in a society where ageing by skin is normal but not by hair. It’s perfectly fine to have wrinkles but not that grey colour on the head.

As we age certain changes occur and It’s a natural process but why acceptance is so difficult, reminds me of the movie,” Bala” in which the dialogue is, “Badalna kyun Hai?”, Simply because others do not like it, think about it and change your perception.

Let me walk in Grey, let me age;

For life, it has to go at its own pace. 

 

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