Hair so fried!!!

Silk is a good look, it points to class, simplicity, royalty and whatever else you are thinking right now and I guess that's why most will look to achieving it at so much cost. Growing up, seeing a neat, well put together lady would qualify her for becoming my role model because I was always in awe of how they seem to do everything, so right! You know who I'm talking about! That lady with the little heels in the house, nude coloured full leg body socks, the flowery super fitting dress that showed some of her grown curves but not enough to be deemed indecent, fresh and clean looking handbag with precious stones on it, a couple of pearls hanging from her ears and neckline and that well permed bob hair style which always formed those waves that would end up in a big, bold and beautiful curve at the end of the hair strands. So as you can imagine, that kind of hair left a standard for us, the youngins to strive for. 

In the strife, our mothers supported us how best they knew they can and as for us? We teared silently as our scalps were pulled from the East coast to the West coast, thereafter came the what we used to call "hair kit," basically a bunch of white and gel like chemicals(smelled horrible by the way) that would strip all those bouncy curls that made a beautiful afro and magically change it into unbelievably straight, shiny and gelly hair. Our hair was literally being fried up into something that it was definitely not. I have been a part of that cycle since I was 5 years old and I have seen atleast two and a half decades since then! I am even excruciated coming to this realisation.

You know the essence of growing up is to learn and my learning curve recently led me to start genuine self care. The natural hair journey was one of those moves that made me feel anew! I was both excited and shadowed with fear about it, the only thing that sailed me through to the decision, was the fact that I love a good challenge. Now, I am noticing how much time I lost not developing a relationship with this beautiful kind, how my scalp had been bleeding out in agony for so long, how this part of my health has been overlooked for so long. 

I see now that beauty is as bold as those statement bouncy curls! Beauty is as diverse as the different hair textures that co-exist on one head. Beauty is as fluid as the hundreds of hair styles this natural hair can pull off. Beauty is as nourishing as hair that recognises the beauty in eating foods from mother nature! Beauty is as resilient as the coiled up hair strands that might take a little while but always push to regrow and surface on that scalp inspite of the chemical or endless chopping we might subject it to. I know better now but maan! my hair's been so fried!! And now it feels like homecoming.