My First Gray Hair
Mary Alice Walton's memoir, My First Gray Hair, is a candid and humorous look at the life of a woman in her sixties. Through her own experiences, Walton shares her journey of self-discovery and growth as she navigates the challenges of aging. Walton begins by recounting her childhood and the lessons she learned from her parents. She then moves on to her teenage years, when she first noticed her first gray hair. She reflects on the changes in her life that followed, including her marriage, the birth of her children, and her career. Walton also shares her struggles with depression and anxiety, and how she overcame them. She talks about her relationships with her family and friends, and how she has learned to accept and embrace her age. Throughout the book, Walton offers advice and insight on how to live a fulfilling life in one's later years. My First Gray Hair is an inspiring and uplifting read for anyone who is facing the challenges of aging. Walton's honest and humorous writing style makes this book a must-read for anyone looking for a little bit of wisdom and comfort.
By Mary Alice Walton · First published 1910 · Genre: Memoir, Fiction, Humor · 233 words
First lines
One day amid brown tresses there gleamed a silvery thread, Life pages, past and present I wonderingly then read. I saw a blithsome maiden, a child serenely fair, A woman heavey laden now lifts her first gray hair.
CHORUS.
O silvery strand, thou soft kiss of time, The beauties of youth are now past, are now past. For evening of life are pleasures unknown, 'Tis love, only love, that will last, that will last.
Upon the shadowy threshold the small gray strand did lay, And told the old, old story of ever changing day; Within the mystic portals of life's near ending stream I stood and pondered vaguely, if death were but a dream.
What this Textopian page supports
My First Gray Hair is listed on Textopian as a short story by Mary Alice Walton, dated 1910 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Mary Alice Walton
- Date: 1910 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Memoir, Fiction, Humor, Self-Help
- Length: 233 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for My First Gray Hair by Mary Alice Walton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering My First Gray Hair?
- How does this short story by Mary Alice Walton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Memoir first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Memoir — The title suggests that the book is a personal account of the author's experience with her first gray hair, which is a common theme in memoirs.
- Fiction — The book may contain elements of fiction, as the author may use her own experience as a basis for a story.
- Humor — The title suggests that the book may contain humorous elements, as the author may be using her experience with her first gray hair as a source of comedy.
- Self-Help — The book may contain elements of self-help, as the author may be offering advice on how to cope with the experience of getting one's first gray hair.
Tags
Poetry · blithsome · brow · brown · changing · child · conflicts · crown · day · dream · evening · fair