Gray Hair

As most of you know, I spent most of last year on deployment--seven months at sea. Halfway around the world and back, and many places in between. Life at sea is very simple. It is very ordered. As a holy priest friend always would remind me, "If you take care of order, order will take care of you." Upon returning from deployment, I realized just how much I loved the order of my life at sea! It was definitely "sensory overload" when it got home, and it took a few weeks to adjust. I think it has taken me till now (5 months since returning home, mind you) to figure out how to restore order to my life amidst a culture that is very anti-order.

One of the other things I discovered upon returning home is that I have gray hair. Not just a single gray hair, or a few gray hairs scattered about, but legitimate "clumps" of gray hair! In several places! Now, before you accuse me of vanity and offer me a verse from Ecclesiastes to comfort me, allow me a few moments to offer a rant. Gray hair?!? Sure, I'm in my mid-twenties, and getting older, but gray hair?! Really?? Of course this has been the most delightful opportunity for my mom to suggest that now I finally need to go get my hair highlighted (haha, doubtful).

So now, I am trying to figure out: what caused my gray hair? Seven months of stressful yet ordered life at sea, or five months of struggling to adjust back to the world and achieve order once again? I don't know. I only discovered it in early March of this year, so who knows. I don't even know how you get gray hair. Don't worry, I'm not so worried or obsessed that I've been WebMD-ing gray hair growth or anything, but it is a curious thing as to how it came about.

At the very least, I will look with a little sense of affection to those gray hairs. Even if it is just an old wives tale, I'll take it if it means I have grown somewhat in wisdom. As we look towards the Solemnity of Pentecost (novena starts today!) may we never cease to be open to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially wisdom! Even if it brings with it a few gray hairs. :-)