It’s just hair

I don’t know why we make such a big deal about hair. So, it frames our face. So what? And why all the countless hours, and money, spent on curling, smoothing, straightening, coloring, styling, cutting, combing, brushing, cussing, fussing, ranting, raving, and crying about it? Ugh! And then, ugh again.

I wonder how many of us would love to shave our head and start fresh and new again as when we were babies?

Well, when my son’s girlfriend recently suggested I explore the freedom of a shaved head, I asked myself that question and more! I considered my dear friends going through cancer treatments who had lost their hair. I remembered my desire to shave my head in support—but that I had chickened out. After all, I had been growing my hair long for about the last 5 years and it was below my bra strap in the back. Could I part with it?

The last time my hair had been really short was July 2015, after I had asked my amazing stylist friend, Yu-Lee, to cut off all the blonde from when a previous stylist had left the bleach on my hair for too long and fried it.

Fried white hair

The big cut to remove all the damage

But, let me back up a bit.

Before a one time stylist in Clermont, Florida fried my hair white, I had grown my hair quite long in the late 2000s to donate 11 inches of hair to Locks of Love. And I loved the cute style my long-time stylist, Lisa, had given me.

Before the white hair misadventure

Loved this style by Lisa

I wore my hair short for awhile and really enjoyed the ease of it. It was so manageable and I didn’t have to struggle with tangles. Easy breezy!

Short hair is cute and looks so professional for the office.

Short hair was easy to care for all the time—especially on vacation.

I could add a feather clip to jazz it up and boom—style!

Or just let it be wind blown at the beach.

Short hair was quick to care for on festival days.

Just add a feather barrette.

At one point, I asked Yu-Lee if she did hair extensions. She explained how extensions worked, but said, “The best way to get long hair, is to stop having it cut.” And that is exactly what I did. Not because I didn’t love seeing her once or twice a year, but because we moved and I couldn’t find an expert curly hair stylist! As well, I was “busy-busy,” seemingly all the time.

At work.

During the time that I worked in an office environment, I would see Yu-Lee for my hairstyle reshaping. Plus, we had become friends BEFORE she started her hair business in St. Pete and I genuinely enjoyed our meaningful conversations and time together.

Then, my world changed. My mom passed away.

On the road. In WV. To comfort dad after mom died. To see family. Connect to what was left of my roots.

There are times our hair is the last thing on our mind.

If you are experiencing hair loss:
You could take 1500mg Saw Palmetto and 500 mg Ashwaganda and drink Green tea every morning (as water revitalizes hair), or try the Jayld hair treatment. But, if you can become unattached to your hair, it is a much more freeing life. ❤️😉

A month after my mom died, I’m with my granddaughters. Re-discovering Love is all that is important.

No time or concern for my hair.

Just BEing. Getting back in touch with what makes me, ME.

BEing present (at my mom’s memorial service with loved ones). Knowing all that matters. Joy in the moment. The ever present moment.

Working from home.

After my work day, making videos. No time for fussing over hair. Too busy.

On a cruise.

With my son and dad. Didn’t give s shit about my hair—thankfully.

Walking the dock. Windblown. And not happy with my hair.

Really enjoying the moment, but directing hubby to catch the wind just right for my hair. Ugh.

With my daughter in New Hampshire. I wasn’t happy with my hair in this picture either. Ugh. The judgment and self criticism!

Richard caught me in an off moment. I had been pulling my hair back (often) in a clip.

It was long, but hard to see here. It sure wasn’t worth the effort I was putting into it, to keep it out of the twins’ mouth, combing it, and dealing with shedding hair all over the house.

Okay, so here you can get some idea of how long my hair was.

And here, while shooting s Facebook Live for our business.

This had been for another Live video. All the detangling and such. So much wasted time.

By the time we went on our Sacred Celtic Journey (which I had paid for and was planning on going on for nearly a year), my dad had passed away.

In Europe.

At Stonehenge.

Looking at my face here, I see my grief. I felt such a powerful presence at Stonehenge though. I was overwhelmed with emotion and raw, deep, feelings. I could have cared less about my hair, that’s for damn sure.

Something I never did. As a sign of not giving a damn about my hair, I had been hot and sweating on our bus ride through Europe, so I grabbed up all my hair, clipped it, and took a video (this pic is a still image capture from the video). Normally, I would have pulled out bangs or bits of tendrils on the sides. Not anymore. I didn’t care. I only cared about my comfort (cooling down), and enjoying the moment.

Richard took some pictures of me that I could use professionally for profile pics. I recall all the knots I had pulled out of my hair, how much hair was coming out from combing, and if the wind was blowing, instead of enjoying the moment—more.

And now? As of April 18, 2020…

The new life begins:

BEing in nature. A couple weeks after my son shaved my head. Living the off-grid life. Loving the ferns, family, moon, stars, and gardening. Letting go. Living my Wholly Vibrant Life.
❤️🦋🌀🙏☀️🌱🍀🌿🌳🐝🎼🎵🎶🎤😉😘

It’s just hair. It will grow back.

Peace. Out. ❤️😘

P.S. – After a sister bestie wrote me a message about loving this article, I replied to her: I hope to inspire and empower women—though I am not exactly sure why. I guess because my mom always wanted to be more for my dad, and didn’t see her own beauty. I had a low self esteem/image most of my life. And we all know the problems that can cause. 😘