What relationship do you have with your hair? I can safely say that I have had all kinds of relationships with mine.  My hair has been at one point the village madman ;as and until he is in my face I couldn’t really care and even then it’s with trepidation as you are not exactly sure what the outcome will be. It has been the treasure that you love so much though the love is marred with the fear of losing it for even the idea of losing this treasure is beyond bearing and you do everything in your power; no matter how irrational to keep this treasure. My hair has been the coveted thing you own that you inwardly but smugly know everyone else wants and wishes they had; a  source of pride. My hair has been like the a parent who always gives and receives nothing back perhaps neglected all in the assumption it will always been there to give some more.

 

My hair has also been like a friend growing slowly cold and distant for no apparent reason….or so it seemed to me…yet the friend felt justified in their action for perhaps I had not invested in the relationship as I ought to as I carelessly assumed that the friendship would take care of itself. I have grieved several times for my hair when I lost it or when it was taken away from me and when I watched someone destroy it with my permission. I have sat with regret thinking back to what better way I could have related to my hair.

 

So all the lyrical waxing above aside. I did the big chop a couple of months ago or weeks ago. The usual fear of how will I look. Will I still be pretty? I love variety and it boggled my mind how I was going to achieve the same with this new hairdo. How would it affect my dressing? My hair had become so weak and damaged that it made me cry when I looked at it. I used to date this guy who loved, no check that adored my hair so much that we would be chatting and he would be playing with it or subconsciously brushing it. It used to amuse me to no end and so to see my once lovely thick, vibrant and long hair reduced to shrubby dry and dull wispy strands of hair. I tried to colour it and do all kinds of gimmicks on it but nothing was working. The BIG CHOP. I had been thinking about it but when I finally did it  was so random most people thought I was joking.

 

Long story short I finally have my TWA-teeny weenie afro. I love it. I have done so many things with my hair from good old regular afro to a Mohawk. I highlighted my hair this weekend and it was even better than I thought it would be. I am leaving my current place of work and this hairdo represent liberty. Liberty from self doubt and dogma. My hair has been the tool that I have used to remain true to who I am. Most have labeled it  rebellion but rather it has not been a fight against norms but rather a holding on to my very essence for in so many other ways I conformed . People say I am bold and crazy. This year I was mostly afraid and cowardly. The moment of courage was when I identified what my purpose was and when I started walking in that path. When I did the launch of a fashion styling business with my friend and business partner. When I invested time, money and myself in that dream. When I stopped whining about my job and started looking elsewhere. Courage in my life has been daily waking up and doing the mundane when all I really wanted to do was give up coz outwardly it seemed no progress was being made. All the tiny decisions do end up in big changes. The year is coming to a close and boy I’m I in awe of the growth that I can see in my life. I started on a different path and now I am on a different one ready to join a totally different highway and along the way I have had some of the most exciting if at times scary experiences. I joined this place with dreads and I am leaving it with a TWA. I look in the mirror and at times I am startled…is that me? I like what I see…and not just what I see on the surface but the person .

 

I got excited when I discovered the wide array of styling options for a person with twa.  From the hair accessories, the makeup(which normally for me is non-existent) to the dressing…..variety

 

                                                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again I ask you what relationship do you have with your hair. I have fallen in love with my hair and I’m loving my hair like it’s my beloved