Tuesday, February 07, 2006

The bald beauty

It wasn't too long ago, just a few months behind me that I looked in the mirror and saw different eyes looking at me. Instead of seeing youthful, vibrant, wide open eyes, I saw baggy, tired, old eyes. Now don't get me wrong, I know that 27 is not ancient, but it is slipping off the peak of Young Man to Middle Aged Man. Overall, my tired looking eyes didn't bother me too much, but let me tell you what has.
Every man has a faint cry from the bottom of his desires, "I sure hope I don't go bald." I am no different. Contrary to that hope, my curly, wild hair is not what it used to be. Teenagers from church often pointed this out to me, but I didn't think anything about it because they were teenagers; they don't want anybody looking at them so let's call the youth minister bald.
The truth came screaming to my saggy eyes one night when I saw myself (from the back) in a gas station's security camera. I knew what had been true for some time - a little light on top.
The interesting part is that I realize the desparation that every person has in life. We get old and die. I get old. I will die. The invincibility phase of my life is being phased out. The question, "is this an unnecessary risk?" is part of my reasoning at times to brave physical feats. Needless to say, I ain't what I used to be.
The reality of aging and inevitable death has been an intersting peak in my life. I am now officially in the market to keep myself from aging. I could easily pick up some Rogaine or check out other hair growth options, which are quite captivating, but the truth is no matter what I do to my outer appearance, I am going to decay, and my body is going to rot.
The visual world that people of all ages live in push images of certain values like weight, hair color, and skin texture. All shapes, sizes, and ages are encouraged to look slim, young, and colorful because no one wants to be the wrong shape, wrinkled skin, bald headed.
I write about balding to encourage you. When you look into the mirror and you don't see what you wished you could see. Rather than a vibrant reflection of life, you see . . . you. Remember that this world is not a clear picture of beauty. We are not at home in this foreign land. All those in Christ are pilgrims taking the Gospel to a lost and ugly world. Take comfort that we all long for something better and in Christ we will one day be perfect like Him for we shall see Him as He is. Until then every time I see my head getting even bigger, my hope in Him will grow much more than Rogaine could ever do.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think bald is beautiful since I am married to a beautiful baldie, and I think you're a cutie-petutie.
Love,
Your Mom