Straight to Fro

I have been on a ride with my hair since finding out I was pregnant with Ella-Shilloh in the Fall of 2009.  I decided not to chemically straighten my hair while I was pregnant. I have very thick coils that take over my head like ink stains on a white page.  It is fun, touchable, freeing and fearful all at the same time.

Every couple of weeks I walked into the neighbourhood salon and let my hairdresser get her biceps work out done by blowing out my mushroom of coils.  She had to take breaks, use a special dryer and sometimes just look at me and giggle.  People would stare at the mushroom of coils and look at my hair dresser with pity.  I couldn't wait to show them how great it would look afterward.  The crazy band of characters it took to make my hair behave worked together to produce smooth, long, shiny strands.  My hair dresser would flip my straight dark hair to show what I prize I had.  After all every body wanted this hair.  Hair that felt light and airy.  Hair that made me feel like I could fly - until I got out the door and realized it was raining.  I would take cover under scarves, hats, purses, coat sleeves, overgrown babies - whatever was in arms reach. After all water was my ultimate frenemy.

In preparation for my girls weekend I found myself in a dilemma.  Should I get my hair "did" and avoid saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs, pools - even showers? Just to save some straight strands.  Or should I go natural? What to do?  As I looked at my afro puff in the bathroom mirror I couldn't resist squishing it over and over.  My 2 1/2 year old daughter was watching me.  She sang "Mama I like your hair."  I sang back, "I like it too."  In those little moments I realized that I liked my hair all coiling every which way.  I like the way it grew without any care in the world.  I like the way it spoke without a word coming out of my mouth.  Every time I looked at it would sing, "Mama, I like your hair."  I sang back, "I like you too. Very much. Very much."

What do you like about you?