Curl up and Dye

Growing up in my family saw many Saturdays of Mom cutting my brothers' hair. Every other Saturday it was a ritual-oldest to youngest and then everyone helped clean up. When I was about two years old, I thought I should try to help my Mother by easing her burden of so many hairs to cut. When she left with the boys to a scout activity after one such ritual of cutting hair, I took the scissors and snipped every long, dark curl off my head. When my Mom came home from the activity, she was mortified. She took me immediately to the hair salon where I got a perm and the lady fixed the haircut. It turned out to be one of my Mom's favorite hairstyles for me as a little girl.

After that and until the age of 14, I basically just grew my hair out and occasionally trimmed it. When I turned 14, I went to the salon and told the hairdresser to cut it off. She did just that. She cut my hair to my chin. Because my hair is very thick, it turned into an impossible-to-make-pretty poofball. I went home and cried. I determined to never cut my hair short again.

As many of you know, I just turned 21. Since the age of 14, I have only trimmed my hair and done occasional highlights. Two days ago all of that changed. I have never dyed my hair in my life. But, Saturday night, I dyed it. The whole head! My hair is now brown. DARK brown. The hairdresser also cut three inches off and gave me bangs. What a drastic change. I looked in the mirror and decided I loved it. I really do. I have never liked a drastic change in my hair before. But, I LOVE this change. Thank you, my dear sister, for the perfect birthday present.