Dangas

Back in high school, one of my classmates,a girl, made a short, funny poem depicting another classmate, a guy:

I am a knight in shining armor; I put on my helmet and I shine no more

Such is the tragedy of male pattern baldness. You may be the most handsome guy in the world but that apparently doesn't matter if you don't have a bushy crown. 

I'm also not immune to it. Back then, I keep telling my father that he's my crystal ball (no pun intended). If he goes bald, I go bald too. Today, my hairline is noticeably receding. In Bisaya, the proper term is dangas, a condition best visualized by a shiny, large forehead. 

Over time, I've learned to accept my fate and make my peace while musing that the "long hair" look is overrated. On the other hand, I wish my other guy friends, who are also balding, may accept their fates as well. Instead, I have to see them sport bangs to cover their hairlines, a pathetic disguise.

If there's one thing that marks the loss of youth, baldness may be it (on top of wrinkles, of course). As one of those guys turning thirty in a few years, this is the best reminder for me to live my days with urgency.