Bittersweet

A few days ago, I had what I hope to be my last hair appointment. Well, I know I will still need someone to trim my ends ever so often, but not the two-week appointment like clock work that I have had for as long as I can remember.  As I sat in the shop for hours and hours upon end waiting for my stylist to call me to the chair, I welled with joy at the thought of being able take back those hours of sitting in a shop at someone else's mercy. These days of waiting from 3-6 hours are coming to an end. Those precious hours of my life, that I can never get back, can now be spent in the comfort of my own home taking the time to care for my hair and using that time to meditate, listening to an audio book, listening and/or singing along to music, watching a movie, or whatever I choose.

My time is valuable and I am often frustrated when others don't take this into consideration. What's the point of making an appointment if it is ignored? In all my years of getting my "hair done" I have never had a stylist that honored an appointment time. I am not bashing hair stylist, but I am speaking from my experience which is the only thing I have to base this information. I have waited as long as two hours before anyone touched my hair, not to mention the additional hours required to wash, dry, and style. Trust me, I have tried to find other people and if they get me in and out of the shop in a timely manner, I was dissatisfied with my hair when I left. Take this information for what it's worth, but I for one I am ready to take my hair into my own hands and out of the hands of others that could care less about its health and my time.

My hair has been thinning for years and whenever I'd mention going natural to my stylists they (yes, more than one) would discourage me from doing so. I trusted them as professionals and didn't pursue the matter further. I look back and think how unfortunate it is that black professionals would discourage instead of giving the facts and allowing me to weigh my options and make the best decision for Tanisha. Instead, they suggested and hair coloring, weaves, no-lye relaxers, and special hair care products. I did all the above except for the weave. I don't have anything against weave, but if I ever got a weave in my hair I'd have to get a sew-in, no way am I letting you glue anything to my scalp but all they used was glue. Needless to say, nothing worked. I finally relented and tried the coloring about a month ago. The color helped camouflage my thinning spots a little but not enough. I have been unhappy with my hair for years and it was time for me to inform myself and not rely on "professionals" to tell me what was best.

 2010

2007

I guess you could say going to the salon will be bittersweet. When something becomes so ingrained in your mind it's hard to go against it but I am ready for this next chapter.

aWordfromSmith