Many years ago my husband quoted part of a scripture to me to support his preference for long hair on women. The scripture talks about a woman's long hair being her glory. I think my husband is of the opinion the longer the hair the more the glory. Thank heavens he loves me even with short hair. (He also prefers my hair to be curly---right now it is on the short side and straight--poor man doesn't always get what he wants)
A woman's hair, long or short, is definitely a defining factor in her femininity. Hair is one of the main ways a woman exercises her well known prerogative to change her mind. A woman can curl her hair, straighten her hair, dye her hair, bleach her hair, streak or highlight, wave, crimp, or layer her hair. She can flip it up or curl it under, wear it up or down, grow it out or chop it off. Have you noticed that when a women cuts her hair short because she just couldn't stand it long anymore that it only takes a week at most before she is growing it out because she just can't do anything with it short? Hair is one thing a woman can change when she feels she can't change anything else.
I think women's hair stylists are under a lot of pressure. They are expected to be part counselor, part image consultant, and part fairy godmother. For years I would go to the beauty college---hair academy---(still do for perms) and to any fast food variety hair place that I had a coupon for but I always wanted a 'Hair Lady' to call my own. Now I have one. It is a bit pricey but uplifting. My mom always had a hair lady. When I was little her hair lady was named LaVon and my mom would even give her a present at Christmas. Then when we moved her hair lady was Janet. I went to Janet myself a few times. Janet even was there to do my mom's hair one last time to make her look her best for her viewing. I visited my aunt today in a care center. She has had a stroke and she is on hospice care but last week for her birthday she had her hair colored and curled. It looked very nice and I could tell she was much happier having it done. A good Hair Lady or stylist can be a V.I.P. in a woman's life.
I can go for quite a while just getting the occasional trim but when I am ready for a change watch out, because...
I want something different, something that looks youthful but doesn't make it look like I am trying too hard to be youthful, something sassy but sophisticated, something with pizazz but is still classic, something versatile that will look good when I am dressed up (usually dressy translates into Sunday best) or dressed casually (usually translates into jeans all the other days of the week), something that has shape and structure but doesn't look like protective headgear but yet something that is tousled looking so people can't tell if it's messed up----and of course it needs to be something I can style in 5 or 10 minutes because spending too long on my hair causes me anxiety and my skill with a round brush ranks right up there with my skill with a blow torch. (Actually I think I have only used a blow torch to light a sparkler. It was kind of dangerously fun but I don't think it would be wise for me to explore other uses)
I am thankful to my hairstylist for listening patiently to my list of wants and frustrations and for looking at the pictures I take in with me sometimes. She gives great scalp massages and soothing neck rubs with each shampoo and she is really good at transforming what I say I think I want into a hairstyle that works for me. I have a friend in her nineties who in response to compliments on how nice her hair looks always says, "Thanks. I washed it." When it comes to hair, small changes can bring big results. I always feel better when I leave the Hair salon because someone has listened to me and played with my hair. I thoroughly enjoy my hair the day I get it done before I have to face duplicating the style myself!
Sometimes a woman's hair can make or break her day. I have a very good friend who started Chemotherapy yesterday. She is faced with soon losing all of her hair. I know I have heard women say that they are tempted to shave their heads because they can't do a thing with their hair. A woman who is bald by choice is hard to find. As much as we sometimes stress and obsess about our hair not one of us would want to lose it by the hand full. I have had nightmares about that. My friend will be focused on fighting cancer and on healing. Good hair days will lose their importance. Hopefully she will have fun hats and scarves to choose from and that when her hair grows back it will be even more manageable, cooperative, and luxurious than before. We learn in the scriptures that the Lord knows the number of hairs on our head and I think when a woman loses her hair that the Lord knows the number of tears she sheds and helps her carry her grief. My friend is a woman of faith and although her head will be bare she will be covered and sheltered by the comfort of the Lord. When I see a woman who has a bald head peeking out of a scarf or a hat and who is bravely facing what stares come her way I see a beauty that comes from courage and that runs much deeper than a nice head of hair.
Are you having a good hair day?
