Lots to Learn

Over the last year or so a good number of the teenage girls I work with at church have grown out their tresses and then lopped them off for Locks of Love. Locks of Love is a company that makes hair for children who due to medical conditions can no longer grow hair on their own. From this company they are able to make real hair wigs for them. My friend Mindie was recently telling me a little more about it. They like to have 10 inch section of hair, clean and dry, braided or in a pony tail. You can not send it is if it has been bleached but it can have been colored. I have been growing mine out to donate. It has been a challenge because I have not had long long hair for a long time and it was driving Scott and I crazy. Mindie measured me on Wed. and I was a 7 inches if I had a little length in my front and chopped the back short. Mindie explained that they also accept smaller lengths which they use to make hair pieces and wigs to sell to raise money to off set the cost of the charity. I sat and weighed the options. I could go crazy for another 3 to 6 months headed toward Lady Godiva land or I could be brave and chop chop right then and there.
While Scott had his cut I sat and vacillated. The last time I had short hair was in 1997. I was thin then and everyone loved the cut. People would say "OH- that is your cut- super cute. After the hysterectomy and thyroid burn out the weight piled on and I think I grew my hair out kind of hiding, which did not work as when you gain around 30+ pounds per month people notice. People were in shock and would say really rude remarks unintentionally. "Missy, you are HUGE, what happened?" Often I would allow it to hurt my feelings and just cry. I was already heart broken at not having a child, and with immediate menopause it was an explosive emotional roller coaster. I finally would reply back with things like "Oh wow- you are right- I am really fat! I was thinking the dryer had shrunk everything but instead it is because I am a fatty, thanks for letting me know." The people would get uncomfortable and leave me alone with my "new" revelation. The weight finally stopped after almost 100 pounds. The weird thing is I would not trade it for anything. First- it was the heartbreak of the total hysterectomy that humbled me to allow God in my life. After that I was able to believe in Jesus as the Christ. Then my whole life changed forever and since I have been a happy person. Second- I have learned that appearances can be deceiving and are not the most important thing in the world. I used to be very self conscious and worried about how I looked. It would stop me from trying new things and generally take up lots of precious time as I fretted about before mirrors. Third- I didn't look at people from the outside as much. I started to listen to who they really were. I realized that we are all children of God with spirits and we each have a different vehicle to drive while here. Some are dump trucks, some are buses, and some are cooper minis, and that is OK. The world can be a hard place where judgments are harsh, nut I learned that it is a good ideas to cut some slack to people because you really never know what is in their hearts or the whys that propel them to make the choices they do. I'm glad Someone Else is the judge not me. Forth- I learned to not be tied to outward praises or other people opinions. I would place way to much emphasis on others comments and complements. Why not listen to the only one that matters God who loves each and everyone of us. We all have enormous worth in the eyes of God, and it can't be taken from us like sagging boobs and wrinkled faces can. Fifth- That the Star Belly Sneetches story is genius and why would we all want to look alike? Variety is the spice of life and if you quit trying to be someone else you can really shine as you. Sixth- To not flatter myself in to thinking the world revolved around me or that people were thinking constantly about me. As I listen to the teenagers in my life, I hear them worry about what so and so is thinking. However I have learned that so and so is caught up in worrying about themselves and not spending anytime thinking about little old me. Here is a test to prove my theory on this one. What was your neighbor wearing last Monday? What were you wearing? 9 times out of 10 no one can answer the first ? and less than 30 % can answer the second ?.
As I waited for my turn in the salon seat I decided to take the plunge now and chop it off. Many of the cute ladies at the salon encouraged me and Scott thinks it is adorable but most important I love it. I'm so glad I did it. It felt great to fill out the paper work for Locks of Love and think that some little person out there will benefit from the sale of my locks so they can have a little ground cover. If you have ever thought of donating hair I highly recommend it. The only advice I have is bring a camera. Scott only had his camera phone so the photos of that day are not the best but it was a spur of the moment cut. It is very short and stacked in theback which takes getting used to but it sure is a fun cut. Here to lots more love.