“It’s JUST hair!”
That’s what I’ve been telling myself for the last few months since I embarked on a journey to grow out my natural hair color. Which after professionally coloring my locks for close to three decades – the “natural color” is a bit of a mystery!
It’s been three months and ten days since I last colored my hair, as evidenced in the following picture:
Me, in Florence, Italy – October 2023
Several reasons prompted me to “go au natural.” I’ve been coloring my hair religiously, every four weeks without fail for close to 30 years. I think my scalp and my follicles are ready for some much-needed R&R. I’ve been going to the same stylist for most of that time and having calculated the cost for haircuts and coloring these past few decades … well – that’s a lot of moolah! I feel certain at this point, that my monthly salon visits singlehandedly paid for my stylist’s last bathroom/kitchen remodel. That is reason enough to quit the color.
Thirty years is a long, long time to maintain such a costly obsession. And yes, for me it was an obsession and an uphill battle trying to stay two steps ahead of the warring factions of Father Time and Mother Nature who have been tag-teaming me and doing their level best to age me prematurely. Seriously though … who am I kidding? One can only restrain the hands of time for so long, and isn’t it better to retire the color bowl on my terms? Hence, it is therefore time to change things up!
This being the first part of the year, I never make resolutions, but I do make a list of goals and things I hope to change in the New Year. There is very little I actually control in life. There are ongoing wars and rumors of wars assaulting the fragile balance of normality. The threat of terrorism and plagues hound us daily. And then there’s that whole climate change thing beating a path to our doors urging us to reduce our carbon footprints – when most of us can barely balance our checking accounts or juggle our carpool duties and schedule annual dental cleanings. I cannot control much of the outside world … but in my little world … I CAN control what my hair looks like. I know it’s a rather small thing, but sometimes a girl needs to feel like she has a modicum of control over something.
As lovely as this verse sounds, I’m not convinced this is an entirely true statement. I know a lot of nasty, cranky and altogether unpleasant gray-haired people. If, however, it is true and gray hair is achieved by living a godly life, then spiritually speaking – I should be ecstatic to wear my gray/white hair like a corona of glory upon my aging head.
Realistically though, transitioning from my current light brown/streaky blonde hair to whatever color is lying under the surface of these over processed roots is going to require a certain amount of patience and tenacity. Neither of which is in my existing wheelhouse. I am genetically predisposed to tantrums of overexaggerated proportions when I’m having a bad hair day. Barely into this journey and already I’ve had to resist the urge to attack my skull with my husband’s electric razor. In some ways it makes more sense to completely shave off all my hair and let mother nature have her way with me and see what sprouts from a balding blank canvas.
I know that’s not the answer – but it can be ever so tempting when right now, it feels like I’m starting each day with a pre-programmed BAD.HAIR.DAY. On other days, I wish I had a magic button in my stomach I could engage allowing me to magically extract a new flowing mane of thick, vibrant hair from the top of my head. I think there was a doll like that back in the 60s or 70s.
The CHRISSY Doll circa 1969
By now, you surely are thinking … geez, how long can one person lament ad nauseum about something as simple as HAIR?
When I googled statistics for U.S. hair care market expenditures, it is estimated that Americans spend just over 18 billion dollars annually to keep their locks luscious. (www.mordonintelligence.com)
On the other hand, weight loss products sold each year are estimated to be more than three times as much as hair care costs, so one thing is certain … we Americans spend A LOT of money trying to lose weight and keeping our curls coiffed and our manes manageably monitored!
Arguably, hair is important because according to the Bible there are numerous references to the fuzzy, wispiness that adorns our heads and sprouts from our bodies. (Ahem … Esau was a hairy man. Genesis 27:11)
The New Testament (Matthew 10:26 and Luke 12:7) tells us that God has numbered the hairs on our head. (Sadly, the older we get – the more those hair numbers decrease!) In Luke 21:18, Jesus tells his disciples that even though they are going to suffer because of their belonging to Him, God is more than able to look after them, “But not a hair on your head will perish!
In the book of Judges, Samson confesses that he would lose his incredible strength if his head were shaved. His physical strength was directly related to his long hair. (Judges 16:15-17)
In ancient Israel, hair signified important features of one’s identity regarding gender and ethnicity. God repeatedly talks about holiness and states that if someone is found worthy in the Lord’s sight, not a hair of their head shall fall to the ground.
God places a lot of importance on our hair, so I figure I should do my best to take care of what he has given me. Whether thick or thin, long or short, brown, blonde, red, and soon to be, fully white … (Yes, I have been every one of these shades over the course of my life!) I want to take care of my hair for as long as God allows me to grow it! Some days, it’s nothing more than a finger comb and slapping a hat on my head in disguise. Other days, it’s lotions and potions, deep conditioners, oils, hair masques and scalp massages, so anyway I style it … hair’s the thing!
I hereby proclaim the year of our Lord, 2024 shall be a Hairs to You year!
Thank the Lord – He’s got me covered!
It’s Only Hair!
Blessings in Christ and Happy New Year … Kathy K.
Kathleen Kurlin 