Yesterday I persuaded my sons to cut all my hair off. They had given each other buzz cuts the day before. Their long locks are now peacefully resting in the compost bin. I was sad to see them both cut their hair off for a brief moment as I love their long, curly and unruly hair. After they were done, I loved how they smiled more, enjoyed the feel of the air on their scalps and felt lighter as they moved their heads.They also seemed to be emotionally lighter. I had been agonising over my own hair. I had left the cornrows that the hairdresser had designed, in mid February, in for longer than I had ever left a style. I needed to give my scalp a wash but I worried about what would I do with it once it was washed and how long it would take for me to roughly plait it and tame it into some semblance of order suitable for me to appear in virtual meetings and gatherings. I knew what I wanted to do, cut it all off. I approached my sons as they were the experts with the hair trimmers my husband had recently purchased on sale because he was frustrated that his own hair was a mess and he was just fed up with it's length. My middle son vehemently refused citing reasons that he did not like me with short hair, he flatly refused. He even said that he knows that will not stop me, but he would not be party to it. My youngest was keen however and delighted in seeing the thick carpet of hair fall to the floor as he raked the trimmers through my washed coils. He used the different attachments gradually, getting shorter and shorter. I had brief moments of fear but when it was done and there was about 2 millimeters of hair left on my head, I was delighted. I was able to persuade my middle son to clean up what his brother had done - he is the more experienced hair cutter, having done his own at one point and is very particular and methodical. My gratitude today is the simple pleasure of not having to wear a doo-rag to bed last night. To be free of the anxiety of not being able to get to the hairdresser and thinking about how I will be able to afford the cost of it. As I shared a photo of my new teeny-weeny afro with my family my husband's reaction warmed my mood. He is fan of my natural hair, unadorned and simple. I am happy!
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