When Do I Stop Shaving My Legs?
I am sitting in the bath, pink Bic in hand, staring at what can only be described as a small, independent ecosystem growing on my legs.
Weeks. Possibly months.
At this point, I could part it down the middle.
And I find myself thinking, at 51 years old…
When exactly did I stop giving a shit about shaving my legs?
There was a time, wasn’t there?
Freshly shaved, moisturised, lightly perfumed, ready for absolutely no one in particular… but still, ready.
Legs like silk. Bedsheets like a dream. Life felt… organised. Now? I’m negotiating with myself.
Do I really need to shave Is anyone actually going to see them!
Can I get away with another week. And suddenly, here we are. What happens to us?
Is it age Is it comfort
Is it the fact no one is inspecting our calves anymore.
Or is it something deeper…
We’re tired.
Not just physically.
But tired of the upkeep.
The constant need to be polished and prepared as if someone might appear at any moment and check behind our knees.
Because somewhere along the line, we realise…
No one cares. Honestly. No one.There are no awards.No certificates.
No one clapping because your legs are smooth on a random Tuesday.
But then…
There I am. In the bath…Pink Bic poised like I’m about to perform surgery.
Because it’s not actually about anyone else, is it?It’s about that feeling.
Clean – Fresh- Slightly smug.
That moment you get into bed and your legs slide together like a shampoo advert instead of making that faint sandpaper noise.
And let’s be honest…There is always a moment. A point where even you think,
Right. This is no longer a choice. This is neglect.
So no, we haven’t stopped caring.
We’ve just become… selective.
We shave when it suits us.
We shave when we feel like it.
We shave when the situation calls for it or when the hair starts influencing decisions.
And that, I think, is growth.
Because maybe the real question isn’t ‘When do I stop shaving my legs?’
Maybe it’s, ‘When do I stop doing things out of habit and start doing them because I actually want to’. Anyway I’ve done one leg. The other one can grow a bit more character!
A serious note, if you need someone to talk about your self care and lack of time to feel yourself again …
Give me a message. You know where to find me ( no not in the bath ! )