Day 250: 250 Gray Hairs

I’ve decided to start growing my hair out a little so it will be a little more “normal” when I come home for leave in April. Today, I was looking at it in the mirror when I discovered that the “few” gray hairs I knew about before I left for this deployment had suddenly multiplied into “many” gray hairs. I’m not kidding, there were a lot of them. I started counting and before I knew it I was up to 250 new gray hairs. I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure all 250 of these guys have cropped up since I left home. Let me tell you the history behind a few of them.

#1: I can tell by the most scientific hair dating technology that I have access to here in Afghanistan, that this one erupted on May 26, 2008--the day I left home.


#8: This one showed up after standing for several hours in a hallway of a building on Ft. Riley as tornado sirens screamed in the background and a giant hail storm pounded down upon us.


#22: Learning how to operate and troubleshoot military radios have been known to cause premature graying...hence hair #22.


#31: Driving an uparmored humvee for the first time...in the rain...no headlights...and only night vision goggles to guide me.


#50: I’m pretty sure this sorry excuse for a mustache caused another gray hair to sympathetically sprout on top of my head.


#62: Long days on the range, full “battle rattle”, and 100+ degree weather.


#85: This one should be obvious!


#95: You would think that stepping off a plane for the first time into a combat zone with security all around, helicopters roaming the sky, etc., would add several new gray hairs. However, I am pretty sure only one new one showed up.


#105: First real convoy in Herat...the anticipation, the nerves, the excitement...led to 105.


#145: Hair number 145 can be traced back to this uncomfortable bed, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it contributed to a few others. Does anyone have one of those egg crate cushion things?


#152-174: Thirty plus rolls of TP, countless Sudafed tablets, a nasty ear infection. Yes, the three week cold that I never thought would end has singlehandedly contributed more to my premature graying than any other event.


#185: Allowing the Afghans to use me as a pin cushion.


#200: Looking out the window of an airplane and realizing that this plane was not taking me home to my beautiful wife and kids, but rather returning me to a cold B-hut and outdoor plumbing.


#220: This one is due to spending several weeks living out of a bag while traveling the Herat countryside.


#250: This last one popped up this afternoon after sitting (or rather being bounced around) in the back of one of our safe but noticeably lacking in suspension uparmored cougars as we drove down an unpaved, bumpy Afghan road.


250 days now away from home and 250 gray hairs to show for the experience. I will admit that acquiring this new tint to my hair has been painful at times. However, for every difficulty, there has been a lesson learned. For every challenge, there has been an increased reliance upon One wiser than myself. For every moment of loneliness, there has been an increased appreciation and love for those waiting for me back home. Without the “gray hairs” in life we would never learn and never grow. I didn’t ask for a head full of gray--no one does. However, I know that a loving Father gave me every one for my own good and my own progression. As I trust in Him and allow him to color my life with those experiences that only He knows that I need, my life will be blessed, my family will prosper, and ultimately I will find true happiness.

By the way, only 202 more gray hairs to go until I am back home!