Ponce de Leon and I have something in common; The Fountain of Youth. There is a slight difference however, in that, he went looking for it, but did not find it and I was not looking for it, but did find it. Gray hair began appearing on my head in my mid-twenties. Premature graying runs in my family going back a few generations on both my parent’s sides. My Dad, his sister, my sister and brother, my grandparents and great, grandparents, cousins, etc. all turned white at an early age, so I was not surprised, but rather expected it. The funny thing is that since childhood and even to this day, I have always appeared to be younger than I am, even with the gray hair.
Ponce de Leon of Spain, joined Christopher Columbus on his second expedition to the New World in 1493. De Leon became the first Governor of Puerto Rico in 1509. In the year 1513, he apparently began searching for a fountain of youth that was a legend among the Arawak Indians. He sailed through several previously explored islands and then saw a large land mass. As he sailed up the coast of the large peninsula, he encountered a strong current and is credited with discovering the Gulf Stream that effects much of the Atlantic coast weather patterns. Because of the abundant flowers blooming everywhere in what was thought to be a ‘large island’, he named it La Florida, “covered with flowers.” He landed in a place that would later become known as Saint Augustine. He was wounded in southwest Florida and died in Cuba in 1521, having never found the mythical fountain.
Although Ponce never found his fountain of youth, I on the other hand, did. My red beard and mustache eventually turned white as did a good bit of my hair, especially on the front half of my head. Seeing me from the front, I might appear to be all white, but the rest of my hair still had a good bit of dark hair mixed in. Then it started. Just one at first. One dark, almost black hair in my mustache, which I promptly cut at the root. No plucking for me. I don’t have the stomach for it, as do twenty-something females, who do this as a regular part of their beauty routine. Except, of course, these gals are removing gray hairs to preserve their youthful looks. I, on the other hand, am attempting to preserve my old age and distinguished aura. Another one of these dastardly, dark hairs soon shows up and is cut down at once. Then another and now one in my beard. I keep cutting. And so on, until I cannot keep up with cutting them as they multiply across my face and temples. More and more each day. What is one to do? At this rate, I will be looking younger week by week with no end in sight. If given enough time, I will eventually look younger than my children. How can I maintain my position as a Grandfather without any gray hair. Proverbs 20:29 says, “…the splendor of old men is their gray hair.” The worst part is, I do not have a clue as to how I received this ‘fountain of youth.’ I am not able to stop it from happening nor am I able to pass on the secret to those who would like to enjoy a similar experience. Oh well, hairs nothing I can do about it!
