Most will remember this day as the infamous Wisconsin Recall Election Day, but for someone, what happened today will be even more memorable...
"I helped some deserving person today, I won't ever know their name, and they won't ever know mine, but we will share a common bond that is greater than anything money could buy... I donated my hair in order to give a deserving person a ray of hope and help them take back their dignity, stand tall, and continue their fight." These words accompanied a picture that I posted on Facebook. These words sparked a response in my Facebook friends. This was not my first time donating and it probably won't be my last,but for some reason this time seemed different, this time seemed special, this time... was the reason i started this journey.
Here I was 6 years since the last time I donated. It was time for my yearly trim. Sitting in the chair, I decided to go bold and take it all off. Scared to death of losing my long locks I took a leap of faith, closed my eyes and told the lady to just do it! To my surprise, the stylist hesitated and asked me if I was sure that I wanted to cut all that hair off. Sure? was i sure? HELL NO I WASN'T SURE!!! I had spent the last 6 years of my life enjoying my long locks and in a matter of a few minutes, all of that could be lost. I didn't originally go in to the Salon to donate I went in for a trim and in a few simple words my good deed was questioned. In that instant, I began questioning my own good deed. But again I grit my teeth, closed my eyes and tried to sit as still as possible, again announcing "Just Do It!" then once again she utter those tail-spinning words "Are You Sure?" again I was placed between a rock and a hard place. Change is scary, let alone when you have no clue of the projected outcome, but again I closed my eyes and said "I am sure! Just Do It!" I couldn't even watch. Half of me was going "OH YEAH! THAT'S RIGHT I'M AWESOME" while the other part of me just wanted to cry.
It is amazing how something so trivial has become something that defines us. Hair, that's all it is and all it was, but in those few moments after she plopped those two ponytails in front of me, I realized something. I realized that I was lucky. I didn't wake up that morning to find that the last remaining patch of my hair was laying on my pillow because the radiation or my meds has caused me to go bald. I didn't have to look in the mirror for months and not be able to feel like I am pretty. I was lucky. Lucky enough to have been born with thick luscious hair that someone, who may have lost theirs, would love to have in an instant. So sitting there I felt guilty for second guessing myself. Guilty for almost changing my mind and not sharing the gift I was given. Thinking back, I realized, its not JUST hair. Its a statement piece, it's what makes you, you. Your hair can define you. It not only can make you feel beautiful, but it can empower you.
If you are interested in empowering others through donating your own hair, but don't quite know where to start, check out the Locks Of Love website at http://www.locksoflove.org/ or talk to your local Salon or stylist. Chances are, they accept donations.
~ B
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