Let Your Hair Down
Cutting my sisterlocks that I had close to eight years was not something I would have conceived of doing even a few months ago. With all the changes occurring in the world and people taking precautions with safety and reevaluating family and life, trying to identify a new Loctician after mine decided to retire and homeschool her children was a mission I did not want to entertain. My sisterlock journey started a few weeks after my divorce papers came in the mail in 2012. In eight years my Loctician became a close confidant. In eight years I experienced growth, patience waiting for them to look a certain way, damage from unadvised color and transformation. My hair journey was one that I look back, smile and appreciate. In the past I would often cut my hair short when I grew tired and had not had shoulder length hair that I grew on my own in ages. My sisterlocks were a symbol of who I was and represented the change in my life post divorce. They became a part of me. I completely embraced and enjoyed the journey.
The abrupt retiring of my Loctician propelled me into making a decision. The number 8 means new beginnings. This decision did not come without thought. With the pending release of my book, I prayed and decided that new beginnings would also be for my hair. For as much as my sisterlocks were part of my post divorce journey, I was now in a new phase in my life and time for something new.
I started cutting my sisterlocks randomly a few here and there. I was leery of how much new growth I may actually have had, I resigned that if I had to cut it all off it would be just fine. After all, where am I going during the current state of the world? This would be time to let things grow how they chose to with a fresh start. This even applies to my life. This would be another time to trust the process.
I went to lunch at a friends house and told him I was cutting my hair thus the hair wrap I adorned. The headwrap did not last long as the summer heat started to rage war and my hot flashes decided to make an appearance. He joked about knowing I would not be keeping the wrap on long with the heat. I said I just didn’t want you to see how bad my hair looked. He blew it off and said it was nothing. Why did I have so much concern about what he thought? Why wasn’t I comfortable? I realized it was my fear of someone else's opinion about my hair mattering more than what I had decided for myself. I quickly shook it off and said you’re right, it’s only hair!
I asked “do you want to cut some” eyebrows raised he said sure. He gathered up tools he uses to cut his son's hair and began to cut my sisterlocks, first a few then multiple at a time. I sat and relaxed. I had never seen him cut anyones hair and here I was trusting him to not only cut mine but taking a risk that one wrong move and I would be completely bald.
The experience was personal. It was cleansing and risk taking. I felt free! It was just the experience that I needed to end my sisterlock journey. It was a safe and nurturing space with a friend who I was comfortable trusting in an environment where I was free to be me.
After he was done, I cried and cleansed my spirit. He hugged me and allowed me to release my parting tears with my sisterlock journey. He told me I was beautiful and I felt it. I felt free and open to trust. Trust; I admit is something I struggle with. But the ability to be free in a moment where I should have been scared out of my mind, made the experience comfortable. I felt beautiful and nurtured and it will be something I will cherish. Thankful for new beginnings. Thankful for the ability to be free in the moment. Life Lesson: sometimes, it's ok to “let your hair down” and trust. Live in your freedom. Be open to being nurtured. Be free to take a risk. Peace and Blessings!
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