Yesterday I had a senior moment, it was
8:17 and I told Dan to turn the channel to Mask Singer. I even called my mom to remind her that it
was on, but wait it was Tuesday not Wednesday. But of course, mothers know best,
my mom is of course older than me and remembered it was on Wednesday. This leads to the saying, getting older
gracefully. Today I get my first social security check. Oh, its finely here time doesn’t wait for
anyone. With the times being very uncertain and the way the job market may be,
I’m glad I chose getting my social security at 62.
I can remember when I was in my twenties
and thirties like it was yesterday. Now
Dan and I are watching our daughter grow and enjoying her thirties. Those days
were perfect in my eyes, for I had spent them with Dan. Yes, we had our ups and downs; however, it
got us to where we are today. Through
all those precious years I gained a lot of wisdom. After all being a grandparent
is so much rewarding, watching our grandson grow is worth getting old.
It is just a shame that our body ages, we have
signs of aches and pains along the way.
I could live without them and I know Dan can. But that is all to do with aging gracefully.
My mind tells me I can still do a somersault and back-bend but my body says no.
When I was young, I could have used these
tips about growing old gracefully. For anyone
under forty this would be a good start:
TIPS ON HOW TO AGE GRACEFULLY
1. Be kind to your skin
2. Exercise
3. Mind your diet
4. Mental health matters
5. Stay physically active
6. Lower your stress
7. Quit smoking and decrease alcohol
consumption
8. Get enough sleep
9. Find new hobbies
10. Practice mindfulness
11. Drink plenty of water
12. Take care of your mouth
A poem, I feel very fitting for this topic
written by Alora M. Knight
Clearing the Way
I have waited quite a long time to get old,
So, I think I should try to enjoy it.
I can't turn it in for a refund,
And I surely don't want to destroy it.
They tell me that life is a one-way
street,
As if I am too dumb to know.
I might as well keep moving on forward.
There's not much choice where to go.
I would like to lighten the luggage
I've accumulated over the years.
I'd be smart to release all the memories
That brought about heartache and tears.
That would make living much better,
Free up space that then could be filled
With appreciation for the good things in
life,
With the promise that then I could build
A future that lives for the moment,
With little concern for the past.
My time will be filled with contentment,
No matter how long it will last.
So now that I'm ready for the rest of the
trip,
I foresee no problems ahead.
I'll make each day be a worthwhile event,
With no regrets for the life I have led.
This is so true; Dan and I have been blessed
with so many precious memories. Looking
through pictures of our past, I can be very grateful for the time, and love
every minute of getting old with someone I love.
This brings to mind the idea of coloring
your hair. For many years, I colored my
hair many different colors throughout the years. I guess, I felt like a different person each
different color. I could feel like a
different person. If I knew then what I
know now on how dangerous the products are to us and that it causes cancer, I
might have not done it. About three
years ago, I decided to stop, and go gray. One reason was Dan and I were going
to be grandparents. Wow, now I can play
that part, gray and all.
But, on a serious note there are natural
ways to color your hair.
7 Ways to Color Your Hair Naturally
1. Coffee
Coffee works great if you’re looking to go
darker, cover gray hairs, or add dimension to dark tresses. Simply brew a
strong coffee (espresso works well), let it cool, and then mix one cup with a
couple cups of conditioner leave this in with 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds.
Apply on clean hair and allow to sit for
about an hour. If you use apple cider vinegar to rinse, it will help the color
last longer. You may need to repeat the process a couple times to see
noticeable results.
2.
Tea
Like coffee, black tea can help you go
darker, and can also help cover gray hairs. If you have lighter hair, though,
there are other types of tea you can use. Chamomile, for example, is
recommended for blondes, while rooibos may work for redheads.
Do keep in mind that tea works best with
your natural color. You won’t be able to turn blonde hair brunette. But black
tea can darken blonde hair and chamomile can lighten it—especially if you sit
in the sun while you have it in.
The longer you leave the tea on the hair,
the more noticeable the color will be. You can also try repeated applications.
The key is to make the tea highly
concentrated. Use 3-5 teabags (or about the same amount in loose-leaf tea) for
two cups of water. You can apply the cooled tea to hair alone, or mix with
conditioner (as noted in the coffee recipe). If you’re seeking to cover grays,
mix with some fresh or dried sage, which helps open up the hair follicles.
Leave on hair for at least an hour—more if
you want more color. Some even put on a cap and wear the tea overnight, then
rinse the following morning. Check your color to determine what intensity you
need.
3.
Herbs
Depending on what color you’re going for, you
can use a variety of herbs to achieve it. Here are some suggestions, depending
on what your natural color is:
Red hair: Try calendula, marigold,
rosehips, and hibiscus to deepen the red shade or add a few red highlights. The
effects are cumulative—if you keep using the dye regularly, you will notice
more color. Simmer the flowers in water for about 30 minutes, strain, cool, and
then spray or pour on hair and allow to dry in the sun if possible.
Brunette/dark hair: Rosemary, nettle, and
sage are all great herbs for dark hair. Simmer all three with water for 30
minutes, cool, strain, and spray or brush through hair. Allow to sit about an
hour. You can also use the rinse daily after your shower. Be patient—it may
take several days to notice a difference.
Blonde hair: As mentioned above, chamomile
tea works, but you can also try calendula, marigold, saffron, and sunflower
petals. To hide grays, try rhubarb root in two cups of water, simmer, strain,
and pour over hair. Add black tea to the darker colors above to help the color
last longer. Catnip works for lighter colors.
4.
Beet and carrot juice
These two juices can add natural red tints to
your current color. Depending on what shade you want, you can use each alone,
or mix them together. For a more reddish tinge, use more beet juice (strawberry
blonde, deeper red, or auburn). Carrot will produce a quieter reddish orange.
This one is easy—simply apply about a cup
of the juice to your hair. You can also mix in some coconut oil to condition
hair at the same time. Work it through, wrap hair, and leave on for at least an
hour. (These juices stain—wear something to protect your skin and clothes.)
Rinse the juice out, and seal with an apple cider vinegar spray. If the color
isn’t dark enough, repeat the next day.
5.
Henna
One
of the most popular natural hair coloring ingredients, henna is a powdered form
of the leaves that come from the henna plant. These leaves have a natural and
effective coloring pigment that has been used for thousands of years to dye
hair, nails, and skin.
Natural henna, on its own, creates a
red-orange color, so if you see products offering other colors produced with
henna, realize the manufacturers have mixed the henna with other ingredients to
achieve those colors. Redheads and brunettes (looking for a bit of auburn) are
the best candidates for henna hair color. Be careful with this one—the results
can be more orange than you’d like, so you may want to mix a little chamomile
in with the paste to tame the color.
To make your own henna hair dye, mix about
one cup of henna powder with 2 cups lemon juice. You can also add in a
tablespoon of vinegar to help release the color. Allow to sit about 4-6 hours
until it thickens. Apply to hair and comb through. (This is messy so be
prepared!) Wrap your hair in plastic wrap and allow to sit 2-3 hours before
rinsing.
6.
Lemon Juice
Looking for a few highlights? Try
fresh-squeezed lemon juice sprayed and brushed through hair. Leave on for
several hours. If you sit in the sun, you’ll notice more lightening. Blondes
can enjoy even more lightening by mixing with chamomile tea.
Lemon juice works slowly, so expect to
repeat applications several times before seeing results.
7.
Walnut Shells
If
you want to secure a dark brown color, this is the way to go. Crush the walnut
shells and boil for about half an hour. Cool, strain, and apply to hair. If
you’re wanting to cover grays, you can use a cotton ball to apply only to those
areas where it’s needed. Again, be careful as this dye will stain everything,
so take precautions.
To create a more intense dye, return the
strained juice to the heat and boil until it’s simmered down to about a quarter
of the original volume. Allow to cool in the refrigerator, strain if needed,
and pour through hair.
To save time, use walnut powder instead of
the shells.
Let sit for at least an hour (more if you
want more color), and rinse. Try to avoid really hot water as it can take the
color away. Wash in lukewarm to make the color last longer.
Look around you. What is right in front of
you that brings you happiness?
To end this piece, I find this fitting:
The Golden years are here at last
I cannot see
I cannot pee
I cannot chew
My memory shrinks
My hearing stinks
No sense of smell
I look like hell
Yes, the Golden Years have come, and now
only time will tell.
Growing old gracefully.
Until tomorrow, be safe and yes, its
Wednesday.
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