Since that day I have always had short hair based on a old held belief that it was better. However whether it’s the passage of time or me just being more ME, I am again embracing long hair , albeit it with health warnings. Last night I nearly strangled myself as it wound round my neck ! Plaits are going to have to be a permanent arrangement to avoid midnight strangulations . However one of the reasons I never had long hair was I was told long hair was for younger people , you can’t have grey long hair ,too much bother etc.
Anyway, where am I going with this rambling ….. Back to the two older ladies who I encountered recently. Carpe Diem!

The first was a very small lady who walked down a corridor in front of me ,with a wave of beautifully straight grey hair cascading down her back. It struck me how wonderful she looked and the way her husband looked at her he obviously felt the same ,with a gentle hand cradling and supporting her in the small of her back. She made her way down the corridor and I caught up with her in the shop. We exchanged smiles and I could have left it at that, but I wondered who had last told her how lovely she looked . So despite my initial worry of appearing silly I told her just that ” can I say how much I like your hair ” she beamed at me and we entered a conversation during which she told me how poorly she had recently been and had been advised to have her hair cut short whilst in hospital . However her husband had pleaded for her not to change it so she had left it. He had said he fell in love with her and her long hair many years ago and it was so much part of her, he didn’t want it taking away. We ended up holding hands and exchanging quite a long conversation at the end of which I don’t know who came away richer, me or her by a simple exchange of words. 

The second encounter happened earlier this week as I was in town, fitting in posting a parcel to a friend in my lunch break. I came up behind a very well dressed older lady with a floor length knitted dark grey coat. She had the most wonderful grey silver bob haircut, that was complemented by what she wore.
Again I wondered do I just have the private thought and rush on by or do I pause and take a chance with someone . So again I reached out, tapped her on the shoulder and just quietly said ” I’ve been walking behind you from the church and just wanted to let you know how lovely you look and wanted you to know.
After her initial relief that I wasn’t a stalker she surprised me next by grasping both my hands and bursting into tears. Oh good grief I thought what have I done .

She asked “did you really mean what you just said ?” 

“Yes” I said worried now about what I had started. She clasped both my hands and said ” that’s the most wonderful thing anyone has said to me in ages and thank you , you’ve made my day and week !” 

Turns out she had had a horrible Christmas with intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy for aggressive cancer and her lovely hair was in fact a wig. She had been really worried it looked ridiculous but it looked wonderful and I wouldn’t have known. She walked off with much more of a sprightly step and waved to me as we parted.
So I seized part of days to share with 2 people. Also made me more determined to have very long hair when I’m old and to wear purple and not give a fig about about others say I should or shouldn’t be doing.

So seize, if not the day , just maybe the hour or even 5 mins. You never know what effect you might have on another human being. Carpe Diem!