Last Friday morning I sat at
my laptop with curly, almost frizzy, multi-colored grey, black, brown and mysteriously, some tinges of pale orange hair. It
was past time for a shampoo, relaxer, color and style – not in that order, I’m
thinking.
My beauty shop appointment
was scheduled for early afternoon. Arriving on
time, five hours later I exited the shop, feeling pampered and refreshed – but
to me resembling ‘someone else’, not me.
Facing the public, I felt
good, knowing to ‘them’ I looked good.
I won’t feel like I look good
for a couple more weeks when the relaxer has gotten ‘old’.
When I was very young, my
father explained the difference between ‘white hair’ and ‘black hair’ was due
to the shape of the hair strand.
European hair is cylindrical shaped; African hair is flat. The cylindrical strand won’t curl without
some help. The flat strand will be curled,
unless it is helped to be straight.
So, we all (black, white, etc.)
might use heat and, or some chemicals (treatment or additives such as
conditioners) to achieve a beautiful hairdo we’ve decided our natural look didn’t
provide. In the end it is a matter of
personal choice. I like that.
I made an attempt to 'go natural' in the 60's when black activism called for black pride in our natural look. (It wasn't and still isn't easy being black.)
I adore Gabby Douglas. She is talented, charming and seemingly
filled with grace at today’s difficult age of sixteen. She is lovely from the top of her beautiful head down to her little toes. She is unbeatable in several ways.
Congratulations to Gabby Douglas, the World and Team USA’s 2012 London Olympic Gold Medalist.
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Pick up my award-winning
memoir, Black Star Girl and Read
Chapter 7, page 29 for a detailed description of how mother took care of my
hair when I was a little girl.
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