The walrus and my new grey hairs.
Earlier this week I was trimming my beard and noticed something new. Two long, thick, white-as-snow hairs protruding from my top lip. I hadn’t noticed them before and they really stood out! They looked like two vibrissae, which are a kind of whiskers you find on many mammals. Vibrissae are incredibly sensitive, used by those animals who have them to navigate their environment. One animal has particularly iconic vibrissae… the walrus.
My wife has playfully called me “walrus” for years. So the appearance of these two vibrissae on my upper lip seemed particularly apt.
Many people find the discovery of new grey or white hairs distressing. They are an indication of the accumulation of age and give rise to the associated stigmas that come with ageing.
I’d like to propose a different interpretation of grey hairs though.
With age comes the accumulation of experience, self-reflection and the cultivation of a sensitivity that we can apply to the different spheres of our lives.
So these aren’t two new grey hairs on my lip, they are two new vibrissae, a reassuring reminder of the sensitivity I’ve gained through my life to date; sensitivity I bring to my work and relationships.
When you discover more grey hairs sprouting as the years accumulate, I encourage you to think of them as a reminder of this, too.
