This was was Resolution #6 - FINALLY DONATE MY HAIR!!! As some of you know, I've been growing it out (and not dying it) for a LONG time so that I could make a donation to Pantene Beautiful Lengths. Its an organization that makes wigs for cancer patients and it was an honor for me to be able to make a contribution to them!!
After work yesterday, I went to get it measured and it was FINALLY long enough! Its been super windy here, so the length has been driving me nuts because I've had to pull it back every day - otherwise I'd look very much like David Bowie from Labyrinth! I high-tailed it over to the salon and chopped it all off right there!!!
So - here's my "before" donation picture - just so you can get an idea of the length prior to donation...this is the longest my hair has been in a LONG time. I had over 8 inches of hair to donate (which was the minimum required length).
After getting my hair cut, I went home to see the hubby (he got out of work early) and start getting used to my new lack of hair - I swear my head feels like its 10 pounds lighter today!).
SO - here's the final result...a new haircut for me!!!!
I had one after school class that day, so before going to my ZumbAtomic class yesterday afternoon, I stopped by the hair dye store to pick up some goodies (since now that its cut I can start dying it again) While I was checking out, I mentioned to the cashier at the beauty supply store that I had just cut it all off to make a donation. The woman was SO thankful and appreciative of what I'd done. She said that she regularly gets women coming in who have received wigs with the program and so it has a personal connection to her. Just thinking about how my little blonde donation could impact someone's life - well, it actually makes me kind of girly, teary-eyed and sniffly.
Even though I KNOW I complained more than once about growing out my hair, not being able to cut or dye it, pulling it back in a ponytail every day, etc - its NOTHING compared to what someone with cancer is going through. I have NO right to complain about anything in my life when someone else is fighting for each day they have. Someone out there who is fighting cancer is going to make a beautiful blonde!
This originally started out as a silly bet from my hubby (he bet me I couldn't go a year without dying my hair) and it turned into the most incredible experience that spanned over 2 years of my life. The last time I dyed my hair was December 24th 2009 - so this has been a labor of love for the past few years and one of the most incredible experiences ever. Its forced me to become more comfortable in my own skin and not rely on a box of hairdye to fix whatever is going wrong in my head. Its pushed me out of my comfort zone on more than one occasion - and those experiences are truly impossible to put into words.
Since my haircut, its honestly crossed my mind a few times to NOT dye my hair, keep growing it out and donate it again, simply because of the impact this first experience has made on me. I know its just hair - but you know what...for some people, it makes the difference between feeling normal and feeling like an outcast and I can help change that.
I'm still toying around with the idea of dying it. Its been a long time, and I would like to play around with colors while I'm still younger. It would take me another year and a half (at least) to grow it out long enough to make another donation. And honestly, I'll probably end up dying my hair this afternoon - with the understanding that if I ever wanted to do this again, I have the wisdom, appreciation, self acceptance and patience to go through the waiting process again.
Thanks for letting me share this experience with you all - its really meant a lot to me to be able to help someone out (I'm seriously getting all sniffly at my desk! EEP!) Remember there are people out there who are suffering more than you ever will. And just a special request from me, take some time today to focus on all the gifts you have in life. I hope you all have an amazing Friday.
No comments:
Post a Comment