Grey or Gray?

I was really not sure how this word is spelt but this was solved the usual way; Grey is British, and Gray is American!! What does Grey represent? Grey is supposed to be one of the dullest colours and not many like this colour. When we have gloomy weather, we say it’s dull and grey! We always talk of a greying population when we speak of a group of people who are past their prime. Then there is “50 shades of Grey”! Here Grey is a name of the person who, in the context of dull, “has been” words hovering around “Grey” the colour, is totally different. This “Grey” is opposite in the thought process. Though he is a successful family man he “wants” Anastasia as he is consumed by the need to control everything. This is where the grey fun starts.

Men with grey hair are supposedly mature, maybe over the hill, and not so exciting. But in the human race why female species is generally “never grey”? Why do they always mask their greyness with different hues of black, brown, golden and what have your colours? Oh, I forgot about Henna!! These “colours” change with age. Even the manufacturers for the products used, change with the age group. Senior, mature, older and actual grey generation continues with good old Godrej brand. The “on the go” generation goes for Revlon and ahem L’Oreal/Garnier, nothing else. The brands will put you back by a pile but how can I have grey hair!!

Hey, we are only talking on Grey & Black hair, but we have forgotten baldies! Baldies are again a different set of people. Yet why are men bald and not many women? Nature has its own way of deciding rules. The baldy does not usually mask his hair, but he sometimes wears a hairpiece or tries to hide his baldness with available hair. Why do people try to do things against nature?

From the real world, look at people who carry their Grey hair with elegance & grace. To name a few, George Clooney, Richard Gere, Bill Clinton, Naseeruddin Shah, Milind Soman, Waheeda Rehman. If you see the list, men generally carry their greyness, gracefully with age but women are not very comfortable. Why is it so? Why can’t ladies be like Waheeda Rehman?

Waheeda Rehman (1)

Waheeda Rehman (2)


Greyness is also a mindset. Some people “Grey” at the age of 40 and by 60 they are really “old”. Then there are some who are “black” at 70! It is exciting to understand the human mind. I have been reading that elegant grey gentlemen are favourites of the damsels. What is that attracts the ladies to “Grey Guys”? Who says that men will not be attracted to Grey ladies? Grey hair, if properly maintained have their elegance, grace and maturity. Is this what younger men and women are looking for in old Greys?

A few years back I met my classmates in Mumbai for our school reunion. I met some of them after almost 40 years (yes I have Grey hair but Black in mind). My friend Mangal when she met me, took me aside and asked me “Hey Pramod, how can you move around so easily with your Grey hair?” I said, “Look, I know that you also have Grey hair obviously masked,(or you may also say white hair) but I do not have Grey hair!! But my hair is Silver Blonde!!” It is the attitude as to how you look at things. It is the same as looking at the glass which is half full or half empty. It is how you look at the situation, how you approach essential life.

I am keenly waiting for some damsel falling for my fine Grey hair, but no luck yet!! Maybe Grey hair also teaches you patience!! Cheers.

2 thoughts on “Grey or Gray?

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