Nothing is permanent about hair - or anything else for that matter. Our hair is our Zen Master of life lessons. Nothing can be completely controlled, nothing stays the same, embrace what is, let go, practice non-attachment. Yep, my hair is a freaking lama of enlightenment! It's straight, except when it isn't. If I let it air dry, it's actually quite curly - around my face. No where else. Just there. The rest of it isn't exactly straight though, either. It's not exactly wavy. I call it a wobble. Just enough of a wave to not be straight. It's like straight hair that had a shot of tequila. Mine used to be auburn. Now it's more of a dead mouse brown. With white moving in. I have plenty of it, it's just that what I have is fine. Not the mane of curls I would love or the dreads I would gleefully embrace or the Japanime edginess I would like to rock. No. This is white girl hair. Tame. Smooth. Mouse brown. If I curl it they fall out, if I blow it straight, humidity brings the wobble back.
But color! Some of my clients fret over whether or not to add a few highlights, just in the top, not too bright, but not too subtle. I fret over whether or not I can find a brighter shade of turquoise to go with the emerald green I love. Fear no color! Hair is our most versatile canvas - we can curl it, straighten it, make it rainbow hued, pile it up, let it down - and the next day we can change it! My hair can take color like nobody's business! It can be black, purple, green, pink, blue, white! It can match my wedding dress or a peacock. I can use a flower for inspiration or a movie poster. If my hair can teach me about acceptance and non-attachment, it can also teach me about possibilities and creative daredevilry! There's nothing like show-stopping purple hair to give you no place to hide. You're out there for all to see! You do not blend in. You quite obviously chose to go against societal norms. What if all our life choices were so blatantly on display? Would we be more circumspect in making them? Our hair teaches us many things, young grasshopper. Be responsible, be kind, make good choices, be brave! Most importantly, it can teach us to be ourselves. Accept our limitations and our possibilities. Be ourselves and anything we want to become. Thank you, Sensei, for your wisdom. And sorry about the bleach.
But color! Some of my clients fret over whether or not to add a few highlights, just in the top, not too bright, but not too subtle. I fret over whether or not I can find a brighter shade of turquoise to go with the emerald green I love. Fear no color! Hair is our most versatile canvas - we can curl it, straighten it, make it rainbow hued, pile it up, let it down - and the next day we can change it! My hair can take color like nobody's business! It can be black, purple, green, pink, blue, white! It can match my wedding dress or a peacock. I can use a flower for inspiration or a movie poster. If my hair can teach me about acceptance and non-attachment, it can also teach me about possibilities and creative daredevilry! There's nothing like show-stopping purple hair to give you no place to hide. You're out there for all to see! You do not blend in. You quite obviously chose to go against societal norms. What if all our life choices were so blatantly on display? Would we be more circumspect in making them? Our hair teaches us many things, young grasshopper. Be responsible, be kind, make good choices, be brave! Most importantly, it can teach us to be ourselves. Accept our limitations and our possibilities. Be ourselves and anything we want to become. Thank you, Sensei, for your wisdom. And sorry about the bleach.