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| 10 months, 1 week, 4 days natural. |
I love my hair... I really do. But I've just become so bored with it the past couple of days. Even though I look at my reflection and acknowledge all the progress I've made with my hair since my big chop, I'm still impatient for more length. As cute as I think twist outs look on me, I just can't stop myself from thinking they would be cuter if my hair was longer. Waist length hair is a lofty goal and an immense amount of patience is required to reach it.
My hair goals and aspirations have grown and developed since I began this "journey." At first it was just that I wanted long hair. Then, I wanted long, healthy hair. And finally, I chose a specific length to go for, one that would be sure to impress any who saw the glory of my crown, waist length hair. After setting that goal, I clarified what it meant by saying I wanted waist length hair when stretched. I can't imagine having waist length wash n go curls, but then again, why not?
I am still excited to see what my hair can accomplish with consistent good care and love, but I just wish I could fast forward the next three years to see what my hair will be in that time. Growing natural hair is a tedious process. I have never been so meticulous as to measure my hair every month to determine my monthly growth rate, but now I almost feel like I should. At least that would give me a tangible measurement of my progress that I can look at month to month to determine what it working and what might not be working.
I've decided that I want to have my hair trimmed by the time I reach one year natural because it will have been a full eight months since I had it professionally cut by someone who knows how to approach curly hair. At first I thought about flat ironing my hair to get at any extremely uneven, split, or knotted ends. But then I threw that thought out for fear of heat damage. Yes, having my hair straight would give me a more accurate cut (probably), but supreme accuracy isn't really necessary for someone who exclusively wears their hair in textures styles. So the risk just doesn't seem worth it to me. Like I said, I love my hair and I'll be damned if I go in for a simple trim and end up having to cut off more of my hair than I initially thought because I damaged it with extreme heat in the process.
...To some, my obsession with my hair and healthy hair care practices may seem a bit (or a lot) strange. And I can understand that. After all, hair, like every other part of the human body, gets worn down with time and can't remain the same after years and years of being on your head. But growing my hair to my waist is something I have to do for myself. I told myself that Black women are no different from the women of any other race, and can grow long, healthy, beautiful, natural hair if only they care for it in a way that will allow them to do so. So I have to prove it with my own hair.
I already know a lot of the people in my life won't believe my hair can grow down to my waist until the day it does. And I want to see each and every one of their faces when once that happens. Especially everyone who was anti-natural hair. That includes family members. I already know I'm going to be hearing how pretty and "good" my hair is from the very same people that implied it was nothing more than nappy. So judge me if you will. Call me vain, shallow, obsessed, whatever you think fits me. But three years from now, when my hair is longer than most, if not all, of the Black women you know, who will have the last laugh??
