Nappy Hair Is Good Hair!

I don't often watch Oprah, but I watched the recent episode featuring Chris Rock. He was promoting his new docu-comedy "Good Hair", which chronicles Black womens relationship with their hair.

The content of the brief excerpts I saw struck a chord with me. Until recently, I was addicted to the "creamy crack" (aka perm) and hair weaves, just like many Black women. My own hair wasn't even short (here's how it looked just before we cut it), but the weave was just so convenient. One stylist summed it up: Weaves ain't just for bald-headed girls, no more!

Hair maintenance was both expensive and enslaving. I'm too embarassed to even say how much money and time I spent (wasted?) maintaining my hair. I planned vacations, social events, and business trips around my hair appointments. But, it wasn't until my mid-30's, that I got wiser and refused to see stylists who couldn't see me on time! Even then, a weave or a perm or braids takes time. In an attempt to manage my 'treated' hair, I tried them all.

I know "enslaving" is a strong word to describe my relationship with my hair, but that's exactly what it was. My mom has "good" hair -- straight, soft -- and she's worn it ultra short for the past 30 years. My sister, who also has a softer texture than me, has cut her hair short, too. I was just too afraid. Just the idea of cutting my hair was frightening! I was the one in the family with the thick, kinky, nappy, hair. Even though I thought natural hair, locks, twists, etc., looked good on my friends and other women, I just couldn't do it. In retrospect, even as I write, this sounds so pitiful -- it's only hair!

After more than a year of thinking about it, talking about it, and researching my options, it was my husband who finally just said, "Do it! What are you waiting for?" So, just before Mother's Day, I took the plunge and cut it.

Almost immediately, I truly felt emancipated -- no more perms, weaves, curling irons, flat irons; no more worring about sweating my hair out, getting rough edges, or straightening my nappy "kitchen". I could ride my bike, learn to swim (finally), go to the spa -- all without worrying about my hair or having to spend hours fixing it afterwards. And packing for trips is a breeze -- my armory of hair care products and paraphernalia has been reduced to two small, lightweight bottles and a brush. Now, I can acually use the shampoo and conditioner in my hotel room -- Whoo Hoo!

And you know what else? I think my husband likes it better, now. Really likes it. Recently, out of the blue, he said, "You are really rockin' that short hair."

Ooooh, I just love that man!!

I still go to the salon, but I only go about every 4-6 weeks and I'm in and out in about 45 minutes -- no joke!! When I get out of the shower, it takes me all of 5 minutes to moisturize and brush my hair. I am frrrreeeeeeee!! I don't even know where my flat iron is!

Hair as short as mine is now isn't for everyone. Heck, I wasn't completely convinced it was for me, until I did it. And, maybe I will let my hair grow back. Just not any time soon. Right now, I like rockin' my thick, nappy, short hair.