Anniversary of a missed opportunity

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Anniversary of a missed opportunity by Razor X on 27 Jul, 2010 19:25
It was twelve years ago today that I started working for my current employer. And as I look back at the photo ID that I was issued that day, it is also the day that I should have shaved my head for the first time. I had been losing hair for about a decade and was well aware of it, but this photo was the first time I realized how noticeable it had become. It was sort of a Bruce Willis 80s hairline, not really horrible looking but undeniably in retreat. I knew I would shave it one day, when it started looking "really bad" -- and in retrospect, that decision to put off dealing with the problem was a huge mistake. I could have resolved the issue right then and there, but instead I spent the next five years agonizing and obsessing over it.

In my defense, the sly look was still somewhat uncommon in the corporate world in those days. And like a lot of guys I thought my goal should be to hang onto my hair for as long as I could and then let it go when it became too unsightly. The problem with that approach is that it did become unsightly, and even when you're aware of what is going to happen, the day-to-day changes are so gradual, that you don't always realize it when the time has come, until it has come and been gone for a while. I think a small part of me was still in denial and thought that I would only lose a certain amount of hair and that would stop and hold steady from that point on. But the cold hard truth is, MPB doesn't work that way, except perhaps for those who don't start losing any hair until much later in life.

The moral of the story is that a dying mane doesn't do anybody any good, and there's no point in trying to hold onto it for as long as possible. A far better alternative is to get rid of it -- even if it seems like it's a little "too soon" -- and start looking better immediately. And if you're a 20-something in college, don't feel bad about losing your hair at a young age. Instead, embrace the opportunity to rectify the situation while you're in a non-judgmental environment. It's far better to put the problem behind you now than to try dealing with it in the future while you're trying to hold down a job and deal with life's other pressures.
#1 by Mikekoz13 on 28 Jul, 2010 04:23
Nice post Razor..... very nice.
#2 by D.A.L.U.I. on 28 Jul, 2010 05:17
Good post, it hits home.
#3 by Gambrinus on 28 Jul, 2010 07:27
Very very true