HAIRstory #6

Fighting Temptations

I am so tempted to press fast forward on the chronicles of my hair so that I can begin to update you on a daily basis, however I would be doing an injustice to those of you who are where I was many moons ago - transition and hoping to see retention, not growth!! Therefore, I must stay loyal to you and true to myself: share my journey to include every hill and every valley!!

Where did we leave off...

Oh yes, August 2008. I had recently taken down a set of braids, permed my hair and within a week had my hair professionally trimmed. Now, do remember that I was also giving my ear patches a second trim, post braids, as I found the professional trim wasn't cutting it! Never before had I truly agreed with the commonly used phrase, words cannot express yada-yada-ya, but I trully was flabergasted! The epitome of my anguish with my hair was finally becoming the epitome of my romance with my hair. A bit extra, a lot true! Even the ladies in the art work on the wall were excited!



My hair telling a story: I was beginning to find my confidence again. My hair began growing at a consistent pace. Personally, I was regaining who I was and who I had the potential to be. The growth in my ear patches gave me a sense of encouragement. I felt like the mouse who had saved the lion from death, my little snips here and there produced a gigantic effect. And like any addict, I wanted more! I wanted my hair to grow longer, fuller and to be flat out gorgeous - and this is when it hit me (*singing*) like Tina hit Ike in the limo-it finally hit me! My natural hair in high school was so much more durable than my permed hair that I had been rockin' in college. Yes, permed hair was "convenient" for the sake of the humidity in Florida, but in all actuality, my natural hair grew faster, responded to color better (less breakage), and didn't box me in to wearing one hair style: straight!



So on October 10th, 2008 I decided, again, to stop perming my hair. On a personal level, I was making a transition: letting go of my past and moving forward with my life. I looked the societal me in the mirror and spoke my peace. I made a compromise between the real me and the societal me that I would no longer allow others to deter me from being who I had the potential to become. Although the societal me said I should conform to soceity's expectations, follow the beaten path and blend in, the real me realizes there is more to me than what is seen on the surface. No more baracades, no more masks, no more faking the funk! I can only offer endurance, pride and character.

And believe me, that's more than good enough!
With love to last a lifetime, K!