hair today, gone tomorrow….

A couple of weeks ago, I sat down with my son Alex for a talk.

He’s 21, and he’s losing his hair.  It really bothers him.  And, it bothers me because it bothers him.  He’s bought Rogaine to try and slow down it’s advance, or decline, depending on how you look at it.  He cuts it in different ways to hide its effects.  And, he looks at me and thinks about the eventual outcome.  He’s made being bald his enemy.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want an enemy I’m going to have to face the rest of my life.

God, grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.

And, this is the discussion we had.  I asked him to think about what’s important, I mean really important.  Does hair really fall into that category?

I asked him to accept this part of him and to start challenging himself in areas with better probable outcomes. 

I know it bothers him; I get that.  I went through it myself.  But, for me it was easy.  I was able to accept this and make it part of what makes me who I am.

I asked him to fight the battles he can win.  I asked him to not only accept, but embrace those things he cannot change, like his loss of hair.  I told him, if he could, he would be happier. 

And really, that is what this was all about.