Aging Gracefully, or Otherwise

My daughter says my gray hair is pretty.  I think she is lying to me.  But whatever ... I'm not dying it anymore - for now - maybe - I might change my mind tomorrow.  Some days I'm cool with it, and others I look in the mirror and wonder, "who is this old gal?".  Hair dye doesn't really change anything - it's just smoke and mirrors - still the same old m e under the illusion, but sometimes the truth is hard to look at.  Is there some sort of rule, like the one about wearing white after Labor Day, about at what age you should just go ahead and go gray?  How old is too old to have long hair?  Is there then yet another milestone age when it's cool again to have super long hair?  I'm just not educated about all the rules of aging.  I never intended to do it, but alas, here I am, just this side of 50 and well, let's just say, I don't get carded for cough syrup anymore.

And then there is the subject of my feet.  They hurt.  I have pretty much given up on heels because I don't like pain.  I've been wearing slippers for months.  (Just in case you are not familiar with the way we say things in Hawaii, slippers are not house shoes, they are flip flops, or thongs if you are from the 70's or 80's before a thong became something obscene.)  They don't pinch or squeeze any part of the foot, but they still hurt - because they are flat.  At least the ones I wear.  The super flat ones look pretty.  They look like a pretty naked foot with just a little splash of color with a strap or a small buckle.  Eventually flat shoes make your feet hurt.  Your arch needs some support.  Your foot needs at least a little cushion.   I like the look of flat, skinny, minimalist slippers, big tall boots, or sleek skinny heels.  I think all running shoes are hideous, along with all the sensible shoes in the world.  They look terrible.  Ballerina flats, are flat, but I hate the way they look on my feet. (I think it has to do with my ankles - they are thick.  Nice and sturdy and sensible, but not my idea of nice looking.)  Oh yeah, I also like the look of Converse and have a couple pair, and they also make my feet hurt.  They are too flat, too narrow, have minimal arch support and no cushion to speak of.  They are more uncomfortable than heels or flats.  Am I doomed to sore feet or ugly shoes? 

So if some day in the not too distant future, you see someone that kind of looks like me, except they have long, wild, frizzy, gray hair and and are wearing a pair Sketchers or Crocs, go ahead and say hello.  I'm probably eating chocolate and I will share.  I'm still cool, even if my shoes and hair say otherwise.