“Why have you dyed your hair red?”
I’ve been getting this question a lot recently – along with some lovely compliments.
When I was 8 years old, my mum went back to work. She had given up her teaching career twice to raise children. She went on to build an entirely new career in her 50s as a special educational needs teacher, learning how to give presentations, speak at conferences, and change attitudes to children who were often bottom of the class, and sometimes in trouble. She was incredibly inspiring to me growing up as someone who made a difference in the world and who didn’t let not knowing stop her from figuring out what to do to make things happen.
I got my dream job and fell pregnant in the same week in 2012. I’d wanted that job for years. A few weeks later, that pregnancy nearly killed me when I developed a pulmonary embolism. Juggling my career and children had me constantly pulled in two directions – and my mum was sick. When redundancy came calling while I was on my second maternity leave, I said goodbye to a job I loved to see what else was out there.
But the old me – the one who kept going for a career in journalism despite everyone thinking it was a pipe dream, the one who wore bright clothes regardless of what people thought, who didn’t care if no-one wanted to do something with her, she was going to go and do it anyway – that version of me had disappeared.
Then there was a pandemic, my mum died, and I was caring for my dad. My life got put on hold as I focused on just keeping going.
Now I have an 8-year-old and I’m the same age my mum was when she gave birth to me. Both my parents are dead and it’s time to start a new chapter.
I used to have red hair in my early 20s and I’ve been wondering what happened to that version of me because she made things happen and she went places. She wasn’t fearless but she got on with things despite being scared. So I’ve dyed my hair again and I’m tapping into my younger, eclectic self.
I want to follow my own path again, experiment and explore. And I want to have fun.
My red hair is a symbol of the life I want to live.
This is so inspiring. Your red hair looks fabulous and I loved reading about what it represents for you as you begin to explore this new chapter of your life. I’m in menopause and quite a bit of stuff around identity has come up. Hair colour (to let the grey be or to dye?) and style has turned out to be more significant than I’d ever have imagined to how I feel about myself inside.
It’s definitely a time to take stock and ask what you want, rather than what you have to go through/put up with.
Love it & you look fabulous. I don’t think I’d heard / read all of your story before. I lost a beloved job (teaching wild kids is the best job in the world) to care for my own wild child.
Red hair club all the way.
I know I’m too old for purple hair & plaits & I dress funny- good,it’s staying that way.
Otherwise I’d give people a false impression of what to expect when you hang out with me 😎
I always enjoy hanging out with you Andrea. No-one is too old for purple/red/blue/multicoloured hair.