Last Saturday Daniel & I read an article in Scientific American "Researchers Explain Why Exercise Works Magic." The gist of the article is that exercise is proven to reduce risk for cancer, lengthen your lifespan, and just make you more awesome in general. I totally believe all of this. It just makes sense that the human body would need exercise. It just. makes. sense.
But I have long hair. And I have a lot of hair. When I work out I get sweaty. When I get sweaty my hair gets frizzy and my body feels gross. So I shower after I work out. But now I'm trying to work out every day which means I'm showering every day, or at least every other day. And then I'm either blow drying my hair (can be very damaging) or putting it up wet (leads to more frizz and just an overall feeling of unkempt-ness.)
So Daniel says "Is it more important that you be healthy or that you have long hair?"
I'm sorry, what?
What did he just say? My brain could not compute the string of verbs and nouns that he just pieced together while ending said string with the upward inflection of a question.
Did he just suggests I cut my hair for my HEALTH? This cannot be.
I'm telling you, I had to check myself as soon as the suggestion left his mouth. I was about to either get defensive or start to cry. Cut my hair so I can work out more? Are you NUTS?! I've always, ALWAYS had long hair. The one time in my life I had short hair was the summer my mom told our hair dresser to lop off my glorious, hip-length pony tail without my knowledge. I was the recipient of a bowl cut that summer and it was not cute. (I will never let my mom live down this story. It was too traumatizing and is now too hilarious to stop telling.)
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| Never EVER going this short again! |
At this point you may be asking yourself "Why am I still reading this? Love ya Kate but I don't care. Though that picture of you IS pretty sad."
I need some help in the form of pictures. I also need the names and numbers of some seriously AMAZING stylists.
IF I were to cut my hair (and that is a huge TEXAS-sized 'if' right there.) I don't even know what I would do. I keep my hair this long because it's what I know. I've always felt like my hair is my best feature. It doesn't gain weight, it doesn't need new clothes, it gets the most compliments. Plus long hair is my glory and my covering! (Or am I taking 1 Corinthians 11:15 out of context? I am definitely not Jewish...) Either way, the mere idea of cutting my hair makes me sad. The idea of cutting my hair for the purpose of exercise makes me... more sad? confused? not quite sure how to quantify this emotion...
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| My sister suggested this long bob... |
I LOVE Sam Hills at High 5 Salon in O'Bryanville! We even worked our trip last week around getting my hair cut there. Actually, all of their stylists are pretty amazing. Not cheap but worth it in my opinion--especially if you're doing something so different! They're great at listening to what you want/like/don't like and helping you figure out what you need. And, you can walk across the street to BonBonnerie for dessert (but I guess that would counteract the working out)! Good luck! I'm sure you'll be beautiful no matter the cut! But I wouldn't recommend the bowl cut. :)
ReplyDeletePonytail it or braid it! Your hair is lovely!!!!
ReplyDeleteOk...so, as the mother responsible for this hair saga, I feel the need to weigh in here.
ReplyDeleteAs I read this blog, this thought came to mind: as parents (humans, really) there will always be things that we wish we'd never done and yet can never undo. This is one of those things. It was a crazy moment....I had finally decided to get my own hair cut super short. So I thought, what the heck, let's give it a try on the girls too! Bad decision - for all of us. You see, Katie's passion for long hair comes from me - I have only mustered the nerve to get my own cut short several times in my life - and I always grow it back! I just feel more like "me" with longer hair...
I wish we could predict which decisions we make would cause such lasting impressions - and not just on our children, but on everyone whose path we cross in life. Although I don't remember, and really can't imagine, 'surprising' her with this kind of decision - apparently she was surprised, so I guess nothing else really matters. The damage was done.
Anyway...Katie, I think in order to be free of the 'soul ties' to your long hair, that 8 (10?) yr-old little girl in you will need to release the trauma of that fateful day (and hairdo) once and for all. I pray it will one day become just a memory with no more feelings attached to it - that's how you know you're really over something. Then perhaps that little girl will release the offense that took root in her and continues to speak to the 30-yr old you, today. Offense against short hair and what you have come to believe it represents...and offense against me - the mom who made a bad decision.
Forgive me, Kate - I'll always luvyaluvyaluvyatilthesungoesdown!
Mama