I recently reconnected with a friend from St. Emydius on FaceBook. She posted a picture of me and another classmate on her wall. I very vainly PhotoShopped out the classmate so I could focus on me. I am standing by the wall of the gym. I remember this little girl. She was mischevious and about 7 years old. Recognize the Jackie O style of her dress coat? Her curly hair was the bane of her mother's existence. Every morning her mother would brush her hair and if it was Sunday or a special event, add a headband. If if was a school day, she would put it in a ponytail or in pigtails and brush the tail around her finger, forming a ringlet. And everyday, the little girl would come home with her curls having broken free. Her mother used to say that she looked like the "Wolfman" when she came home.I hated my curly hair, especially as we got deeper into the '60's and early '70's. The style was long straight hair with a part in the middle. In foggy San Francisco, that style was just not happening for those of us with curly hair. My mother would not let me straighten my hair or iron it. I had to do my best to straighten it by setting it on orange juice cans or the largest rollers I could find. I would brush it out and put on a scarf, tying it as tight as I could. Just before I got to school or church, I would whip off the scarf. My hair would stay straight for about 15 minutes. Then the waves started to appear. After about an hour, the ringlets had taken over, heading off in every direction.
Decades later, I have come to accept my curls. For many, many years I did my best to discourage them by wearing my hair short. My hair is now the longest that it has been since high school graduation. Two years ago, when I thought I was going to have to have chemo, I had my stylist LaMonte cut my hair very short. I was blessed not to have to undergo chemo and other than trims, I have not cut my hair since. My hair and I have finally made peace. It still has a life of its own but I enjoy its freedom. Two weeks ago, I was at Victoria Gardens with my friend, Lianne. I saw a fun plum colored headband with a large suede rose. It looked great nestled in my curls. I modeled it for a while and then put it back, thinking I didn't know when I would wear it. The little girl in the picture would know when to wear it: anytime she felt like it. I hope it still in the store when I get there.
