When you are losing your hair you have to start thinking about different things. Those of you with a full head of hair will not have to worry so much about getting the top of your head sunburnt, or whether people will be blinded by the glare of light reflected off your head. I had a bald teacher at school whose hairstyle was described as ‘short back and shine’. Now I know how he feels.


In response to these challenges I have a growing collection of hats. I didn’t think I would be saying that when growing up. Most of them are caps, with variations according to mood, temperature and what I am wearing (yes, I do try to think about that sometimes). Now that the weather is warmer and the sun is showing its face my favourite hat is now able to come out of the cupboard again. Whenever I wear it I am sure that I can hear someone humming the theme tune to Indiana Jones. What do you think?


I have one more weapon against the side effects of baldness. A while ago Sally came back from a Body Shop party hosted by one of her friends with a present for me. Those of you who know her will recognise the mischievous sparkle in her eyes that I saw as she handed over a small bag. Inside was a small bottle of stuff I am supposed to put on my bald head to stop it shining.


In the Bible there is a wonderful verse that shows how intimately God knows us and how much he loves and values us – Matthew 10:30. “Even the very hairs on your head are all numbered.” I have a feeling that God is in heaven with a megaphone calling to the hairs on my head: “Come in number 389/78 your time is up!” I reckon my body is simply making God’s job easier by jettisoning hairs. But how special do you feel that God knows that much about you?


Tony Campolo (with whom I have a hairstyle in common) has two wise sayings about baldness:


“To some people God gave beautiful heads, to the rest he had to give hair.”
and
“Why waste hormones on hair?”