To My Crazy, Curly Hair:
There are some days when I want to shave you all off. You’re loud and wild, a creature that can’t be tamed. I can try to control you, I can try to straighten you, but curly hair has a mind of its own. There are other days where I let you be loud and proud, days where I fully accept you how you are.
Anyone that has curly hair knows it takes time and patience to take care of your curls. Although it is a pain 90% of the time, I love my crazy, curly hair. Yes, I usually can’t wear it down if there is a risk of humidity, rain, or wind. However, on a good day when I can wear it down, it’s when I am the happiest. My hair is an extension of who I am. Like my hair, I am free-spirited and full of life.
It took me a long time to appreciate you; I used to abuse you by constantly straightening you. I hated you because you had a mind of your own. I couldn’t brush you without you becoming a frizzy mess. I’d put you in a bun most days, sheltering you from the world, afraid of what others would think if they saw you.
It was hard to walk around with confidence when all I see is girls with perfectly straight hair while I have a mess of curls bouncing around. I became embarrassed of you, hiding you like a secret. I was the one that was different, which at the time I thought was a terrible thing. To be different, to cause attention to be drawn to my wild hair, was something I did not like at all. I wanted to blend in and be like everyone else, so I started straighten you with a hot iron to change you. However, you didn’t want to change, nor should I have tried to change you.
Once I took control and become the lion tamer, I found ways to calm you. Conditioner is your best friend and humidity is your worst enemy. It took a while to figure out a routine that worked, but once I found it, it was a relief. I was able to walk into school with my hair in its natural state. Instead of being embarrassed, I walked with confidence, finally able to show you off to the world.
I learned to appreciate what I was given. I learned that curls are fun. Although you demand my attention and care, you are a part of me. I realized that I could do so much with you; you have the potential for interesting styles and can be beautiful. Not only that, but I accepted that I would never be able to change you. Whenever I meet new people, they comment on my curls, saying they love them. Before, I would fight them, complaining about your largeness and frizziness. I would go on about how you are difficult and annoying. Now, I accept the compliment because I know it’s true. I realize the importance of loving yourself and appreciating what you’re given. I never acknowledge the importance of loving what you are given. Now, I treasure your existence. Without my crazy, curly hair, I would not be the same person.
My mother always told me to love my hair. She said that people envy my thick curls and that I should embrace them. All I wanted was to fit in, but once I realized that it is a good thing to be different, I finally learned to embrace my curls. It is so crucial to love what you see in the mirror. I use to cringe at my reflection seeing the hair in all of its craziness, but now I look in the mirror and love what I see.
Even though some days I may hate it, I love my crazy, curly hair.