Ode to My Hair!
If you LOVE your hair and think your hair is D.O.P.E. this post is for you! I’ve come so far on my hair journey half of the time I don’t even believe I’ve made it to where I am now. I was recently thinking about the days when I was truly lost in this world walking around looking real bummy and unloved LOL. I remember one summer when I wore a bandana EVERYDAY because I didn’t know what to do with my permed hair. Talk about death to the health of my hair AND my edges…. I actually didn’t have edges, let me stop lying to myself.
Needless to say, I have come a LOOOOOONNNNNGGGG way, thank ya Jesus!
The decision to go natural was an epiphany I never thought I would have. There was something about Howard, and I’m assuming most HBCUs, that encouraged a natural phase for so many girls that entered it’s doors, including my sister who attended before I did in the early 2000s. Before beginning my Howard career I had already decided it wasn’t going to get me with it’s peer pressure to go natural and embrace this sense of black power that wasn’t genuine to who I was. Almost as though I wasn’t black enough if my hair wasn’t an afro and instead was shoulder length, straight, and didn’t curl up when it got wet. THEN on the same note I wasn’t flashy enough for the “it” girls that had the 24’ sew-ins and wore their club heels up the hill to the yard for the fashion show known as class on a daily. Long story short I just didn’t fit in, I was in this awkward medium that has actually become a paradigm of my life.
Freshman year was a very trying time for me at Howard, but it eventually ended and then a new time came. In December 2010 I got my last perm and joined the natural movement. Honestly, it was the best decision I had ever made, because it was for me and my comfort. I still didn’t “fit in” per say but I had found a group of friends that accepted me for who I was and that was really all I needed.
My natural journey has mirrored my journey in life; it started at a point where I was unsure of what I wanted long term and was barely focused on short term goals. I changed my hair once a week the same way I changed my interest and passions in school. Eventually, I hit a spell of stagnancy and it seemed things were stuck in a loop, I wasn’t growing or ambitious about much, and my hair matched my energy. When I tell you this crown was dry, unenthused, and stressful to upkeep, I didn’t know what to do with myself.
When I got tired of being stagnant and fluid in my desires for life, I made the choice to start loccing my hair. BEST DECISION EVER! Well, looking back at the earlier days, I don’t know how I survived the ugly phase but I did!
My loc journey started August 18, 2015, and it feels like I’ve had them for a lifetime already. This journey is a testament to learning to love myself no matter the state I’m in. I have had too many ups and downs in 3 1/2 years to count and my beautiful Essence has experienced them all with me. I knew I reached a new level of peace with myself and all my flaws when I decided to give this beautiful crown on my head her name, and she lives up to her name everyday I wake up and look at her in the mirror as I get ready for work. I cannot hide her, I cannot question that she has a purpose in this world, and she reminds me of the strength I hold in my heart, mind, and soul. She is the Essence of who I am.
I had no idea what locs were growing up, the only thing I knew were how my sisters would pick on me whenever I had box braids and would say if I didn’t take them out my hair would dread up. I later learned in high school that dreading the hair symbolized locking the energies that your body emitted and held them to replenish the body. It prevented your energy from escaping, leaving the body drained and tired. Now that I am almost four in this life walk with Essence I truly believe her purpose to empower and strengthen me by feeding the energy I release to her back into me.
If any of you are wondering why I chose to name my hair, I was inspired by one of my best friends. She has this absolutely amazing life of hair on top of her head that we know as Naomi. I honestly admire my Bestie, she’s the epitome of what a D.O.P.E. black woman is. She’s carefree, self-made, selfless, nurturing, and the list goes on. The thing about Bestie is she’s very consistent in how she treats EVERYONE in her life. She offers the same care, nurture, and love to everybody close to her including Miss Naomi. I watched Besties natural hair journey from its inception, sophomore year at Howard, until now and the amount of dedication she gives to her hair as a part of her identity is a level of self care I always aspired to reach.
Its not about vanity, it’s about self love. When you feel good about yourself you emit that energy in the ways you move day to day. Our black hair is part of our black culture and I encourage anybody that reads this to embody what their self love journey is and go for it.
Nobody other than God can love you more than you can love yourself.
Leave a comment and share your natural hair journey below. What was the hardest part about deciding to go down the path you’re currently on with your hair? What’s your favorite part about deciding to start or make a transition in your natural hair journey? I’d love to hear!
Be D.O.P.E. black girl!