My Hair Is Down

Good morning!

So let me tell you a little about myself or really let me tell you about my hair. Like many other black women in the United States, I wore chemically relaxed hair from the age of 14 until I was 31. That's is a super-duper long time to be locked into a certain way of life and believe me for black women our hair is a way of life. Anyway, after growing out my perm for 3 to 4 months I finally cut all the relaxed hair out and wore a little natural. It was so short that all I did was brush it really.

Well that was May 19, 2007 and here I am November 19, 2008 with more than six inches of hair tightly coiled on my pretty little head. I absolutely love it! I am more than confident, I am defiant! No one, I mean not a single soul can tell me how I should look in order to fit in. In fact I feel like I've received more compliments especially from the opposite sex because of my hair. The latter was true up until last week which is the inspiration for today's message.

I was asked if I ever wear my hair down.  At first I was really puzzled by this question.  What was he really trying to ask me?  I thought the question was related to my latest style, which is the same as my picture I included in today's message.  I responded by saying that wearing it up is rather new for me...my hair is getting long and I've been experimenting with styles.  Usually I wash it put product in it and go, I don't do anything to it...just me and my curly 'fro and I'm out the door.  But I soon found out that he was referring to straightening my hair.  Meaning do I press it.

Sensing this conversation was going somewhere I wasn't sure if I was comfortable with, I firmly let him know that this is who I am and this is how I like to wear my hair.  This is who I am and that anyone who doesn't like it is in for a surprise if they believe they can change me.  

So the next time someone ask me about "wearing my hair down" I will respond that it is indeed down with a straight face.

Peace, Detroit Luv & Soooooul!