I got caught in the rain today. I can’t tell you the last time that’s happened. Since I got my own vehicle 5 yrs ago I haven’t stepped foot onto any kind of public transportation nor have I gotten caught in the rain. Lucky me or lazy me?
Anyhow, I got caught in the rain. I was without an umbrella and I was a considerable distance away from my car. I was far enough away, to risk getting a reasonable dousing of precipitation. It just so happened that my hair was thrown up into a combination ponytail of twists and twisted out hair. And yes, it looked as crazy and confused as it sounds. Right?! Picture it…
Ok, back to the story. So, I’m in a store, the rain fall is kinda heavy and I’ve got to get to my car. I hate the feeling of wet clothing on my body so I didn’t leisurely stroll back but I also didn’t sprint, cause it would’ve been a cumbersome, awkward gait as there were many things in my hands. As I made the trek my stream of thought went a little something like this: “Why’d I park so far away again? Ah, well I’m glad I don’t have anywhere important to go later… Hey, I don’t have to worry about my hair getting jacked up…”
Cue themesong: “thank God I’m natural”
After a few moments musing on the freedom of afro kinky hair I took the thought a bit further. Freedom. Thank God I’m me and I’m cool with that. *Insert brow wiping bbm smiley*
You think carrying miscellaneous items in your hand while trying to dodge raindrops in a busy mall parking lot is uncomfortable try compromising yourself to fit in where you don’t belong.
Carrying the expectations and often miseducation of others is a heavy, constricting load. Carrying the misconceptions of your own self = crisis.
For many years I perceived myself as an ‘afterthought’. In my mind, I thought that I would always be the last person to be acknowledged in a crowded room of people if I was even noticed at all. It was a delusion. It was an oppression. I remember writing – a shrinking violet has no presence – on my chalkboard painted, bedroom wall as my motivation each day to not shrink but blossom, and shine brilliantly. It took a while. It took deliberate action. But one day I looked at my wall and read the words and knew that I could erase them. I was comfortable in my own skin. I had the liberty to shave off all my hair and be beautiful, let my eyebrows grow in thick for weeks and be confident, not shave my legs and be cool, embrace an insecurity and be strong, make a mistake and survive, say no and be respected, part company and be loved.
The more I am me, is the more I am me and that is the freedom of freedom.
Seriously.
Taking an example from the greatest teacher ever, Jesus knew who He was and it still resonates with us centuries later.
So bringing it back to hair, once you know your hair you can let your hair be.
And ending it off with humans, once you know yourself, you can let yourself be.
Your turn to muse on the freedoms of natural hair… GO!
Freedom to enjoy water in any form is one of the biggest perks to being natural IMO. The longer I'm natural the more amazed I am that I let water rule my life as long as it did when I was relaxed. One sure sign that I've crossed over is when I hear someone say "black women can't get their hair wet." I'm always like, "Really?" as I head out to my car in the rain, or jump into the pool without a cap…
I totally understand why some might not want to get their hair wet if it's in a style that involves stretching, but IF it gets wet you ought to still be able to rock it in some way (even if that means pulling it back into a puff) without feeling like your whole day is ruined. Some women act like water is kryptonite and it's just not. that. serious.
Natural freedom means not having alter the way I look to feel good about myself. It means I don't care what anybody thinks about my hair but myself.
It does feel great to be who you are unapologetically.
Call me crazy, but if I've done my hair, I don't want it soaked by rain (except for wash and goes where it doesn't matter), for the same reason I wear shower caps in the shower when I'm not washing it. 😐
being less attached to my appearance has freed me enormously from pressure. I grew so much more critical of physical expectations, especially women…i felt my mind was opened.
I worked out with relaxed hair, but only washed it once a week. Now I can wash more often. For me rain = no worries.
passionate shower sex scenes
I chopped the remaining relaxer on 11/26/2011 . I started transitioning after putting a relaxer in my daughter's hair and seeing how the chemical burned her scalp and caused bloody sores. I decided then no more for her or me. I'm so proud of my thick poofy curls, not having to worry about getting it wet in the shower or a downpour. It's funny that I have a picture of me when I was about 7 mos. old with a big poofy afro(like the baby on the cover of Biggie's first album) and marvel at how I have returned to the original me who is free to rock her poofy curls:-) My household is officially natural and I love it and have to thank my husband for his patience and support:-)
There is something so poetic Noni expressed the freedom of natural hair and not having to compromise and fit perfectly with how I'm feeling about myself.
Bravo!
My natural hair journey (BC 11/19/11) is one of the steps in my evolution of self. Ive been on a journey to find out who I am. The funny thing is, I didnt know that, until I began to figure out ME! God will remove all others to do a work in you!! Natural hair has evolved into a better me: eating better, better skin care,etc. The fact that I dont have to run in the rain is an added bonus!!!!
I love that I can work out. My daughter is natural and we played in a little drizzling rain on the way to the car. I have friends who are white and when we'd go dancing together they would have a ball and I'd sit after a few beads of sweat would form. Sweet Freedom shout be the title.
My hair still gets jacked up in the rain! Curls…gone. Goodbye twist/braid/bantu knot out. Helloooo shrunken, poofy, mess!
I think it's liberating in terms of straight hair, (no running to duck and cover)but I think it depends on your style. Wash and go? No problem when it rains. Twist outs? Houston, we have a problem, lol! My twist outs are less defined and when it rains, I get uber frizz! Happened to me a few weeks ago and I wasn't pleased.
www.Hairnista.Blogspot.com
It's fantastic for me because I love getting caught in the rain during the spring and summer time.Since I went natural I don't have to worry about my hair frizzing out and going through the long, tedious process of straightening my hair.
I like that when the Santa Anna winds come through my campus I don't have to worry about my hair blowing all over the place. At the present length it doesn't get stuck to any lipgloss I might be wearing lol
I can relate to the sense of freedom. It was really a burden lifted when I discovered that I no longer had to duck for cover just because its raining. Water I realize is natural hair's best friend. Who knew?
Minin F.