I've been straightening my hair for years. Some of my best thinking time is when I'm working with my Chi. I don't have a picture of my straight hair for this post, because I didn't think to take one. There you go.
People who know both Jim (straight hair) and I occasionally ask me how our kids ended up with curly hair. All four of our children's hair is a 50/50 amalgamation of our genes- light and blond from him, curly like me.
Lily's is more wavy than curly, but gets curlier by the year. Hudson's is like Grace's, but is always cut short. Lily is stubborn, and so this fits. She'll come around. Lately she's been intentionally helping it dry extra-wavy (to be like her sisters of course, though she will never admit it.)
When Grace went through a phase where she was trying to straighten out her hair by brushing it when I wasn't around (never take a brush to curly hair!!) I would say over and over, "Grace, your hair is so beautiful! You know how people are always complementing you on your hair? It's special!"
What a lame way to convince her! But it's what I said. Also, hypocrisy much?
Different day and coincidentally, same shirt!
I did also tell her that when I was young I was dying for long, straight hair, preferably any color but brown. We always want the opposite of what we have. I understand. I also have told her that she's just too young to heat-style her hair. It breaks my heart to think of taking an iron to it- though I'm sure the day is coming; just for fun so she can see.
When I was in Africa last year I had no choice but to go curly, and rocked what I've affectionately come to call my "Zam-fro"- this is the result of my curly hair plus heat and humidity. It's unruly, it's unpredictable- even with product.
So since that time, I've tried to shake it up a bit, to get back to my roots, to let my hair be free every once in a while. The girls are always telling me they like it, and friends tell me they like it, which is enough. It's also, um, easier.
I like to be in control- embracing my hair is a lesson in surrender. I can't tell it which way to curl, and it does a little something different each time. I have a few curly hair techniques under my sleeve but, in the end- especially in summer- you have to just go with it. Or pin it up. Or pin it up and put on a hat.
I have noticed hundreds of pins on Pinterest teaching women how to curl their hair. And most any hair tutorial starts out with, "Start with wavy hair..." I need to appreciate what I've got a little more.
Lastly, let me just say taking pictures of oneself in a mirror is one of the most narcissistic-feeling, frustrating, and ridiculous things to do- I can't stand it, and freely admit that most of the shots I took backwards look like this- like I can't even get my head in the frame. Not a skill I've mastered!
1 comment:
I love the waves! So pretty. Go with it!
Of course, it's always nice to have the option to do something different too. I'd LOVE to have curly hair. I used to perm it because my hair does have natural wave and the perm would last forever. But my natural wave is mostly under the top layer of hair. So it can be very funky and likes to get crazy in humidity. I've tried embracing my natural wave many times without the help of a perm. But it doesn't look nearly as nice on me as it does on you!
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