12 April 2010

A matter of perspective

I notice it first when I am brushing my teeth at night.

My heart skips a beat. I tell myself that it cannot possibly be true. Its these 'yellow' North American lights, I tell myself. They can cause you to see things that aren't really there! I blink. Then blink again. But it just wont go away! N stands behind me brushing his teeth. Maybe I should tell him what I see? I dread his reaction though. But then I have got to tell him (its inevitable- he'll notice it anyways, I tell myself).

So I cautiously ask him, 'Do you see what I see?'
Him: Huh? Whaad-doo-zoo-meeen?
Me: I see a gray hair!!!!!!!!!!!!
Him: Huh? Where??
Me: On my head, you gumbo!
So he peeps closer, inspects it for a moment and breaks into the weirdest, happiest dances I have ever seen (and trust me, I am used to N's dances- they can be quiet funny, if you are in the mood for funny. But this one didn't strike me one bit as 'funny).
Me: Do you see it too?? (am near tears now)
N is still oblivious to my grief- he's merrily dancing way...I notice some toothpaste droplets flying and hitting the wash room walls- now I am furious!!!
After about 45 seconds of weird-cum-happy dance, N finally stops. He tells me wisely, 'its just a sign of growing up, honey'. Exactly what I told him a few years back when I saw his first gray hair; but now that the joke's on me, the line no longer makes sense!

I go to bed thinking about my first gray hair. I am not even 30 yet and I already have one! Does this mean my body is aging already? I mean, who knows what else is prematurely aging? N tells me that this officially marks my entry into the 'Auntie' world.....ick ick!! That night, I dream in black-and-white-and-gray! In spite of the colour scheme in the dream, there is one hair on my head that looks gray..crazy dream, I tell myself.

Next morning, I wake up hoping that this was all a nightmare. But as I get ready for work, I see it again!ick ick ick!!

Thank goodness for work- it makes me forget about the first melanin-deficient hair on my head. I get back early from work and plop myself on the TV. Its Tyra Bank's show on one of the channels. I like Tyra- she is pretty, she is sweet and she is all about women empowerment; what's not to like? Today she is interviewing a woman called Mandy Sellars.


(Photo from: www.guardian.co.uk)

Mandy is from UK and suffers from Proteus Syndrome. It means that while her upper body is a petite Size 8 and weighs just 31 kgs, her legs weigh 61 kgs! And they are still growing, making her legs about 4 times that of an average person! The special shoes she needs cost her $3800, which means she can afford only pair at a time (thats not fair to any woman, I say!!!).

She tells Tyra that how the doctors had told her mum that she wouldnt probably survive 2 weeks past birth but she has proved them wrong by adding 34 years to that! What strikes me most is Mandy's spirit. She talks about her friends, her life, the dating scene and even a possible leg amputation, with so much ease and matter-of-factedness, I am bowled.

Suddenly one gray hair doesn't seem earth-shattering.

That night, I dream in technicolour again.

Its all about perspective I say,
V

3 comments:

Unknown said...

hehehe..nice post!
i have got one or two gray hair too! does that make u feel better??..:)) anyway, i wasnt that devastated when i saw my first gray hair..my reaction was ..its ok..whats to freak abt, u can color them anytime...:) but i gave Nitin the opportunity to perform that weired dance(yes, i knw u wont believe, but Nitin does it too)..but over reacting to that gray hair..hehehe..
yes, its all abt perspective!

notyet100 said...

u r right,

Vinaya said...

Aarti,
I am having a hard time imagining Nitin dance (I always thought chuklu's dance skills came from you but now I am not so sure :D) You are totally right though, hair colour is the way to go :D

Notyet100,
how are you doing? Lovely to hear from you after long!