Recently I have been confronted with what it means to wear my hair in its natural state. It has been 3 months since I took my braids out and have been wearing my hair in twist out, updos and buns. Personally I have really enjoyed it and had a lot of positive reactions to it. So much positive reactions that the one negative ( nose turned up) reaction/ comment stopped me in my tracks and caused me to think.
3 years ago standing in front of the bathroom mirror, I cut off my relaxed ends, did the big chop. The only negative reaction I had at the time, with my twa was from two family members who soon stopped the teasing when they saw and came to understand why I was natural. With friends, my brother and younger sister, the latter two being my greatest supporters cheering me on, I navigated through my natural journey.
On hair forum and blogs, I read about negativity that other naturals encounter and thought I could relate ( remember the two family members)but really I now know that I didn't really know the half of it. My large cheer quad boosted up my confidence in the new natural me that I was and am able to be natural and love it.
I have been thinking, I have take for granted the great support I have. I have been thinking about what my natural hair means to me. I do not have the amazing curls like much type 3 or 4a naturals, my kinks and coils need some manipulation to clump together in a curl ( usually after being in twists). But I have come to love it as it represent me in every sense, in ways that even I do not even know but am coming to learn about.
Will I ever go back to getting a relaxer, most people that know me, already know that answer, NO.
I came across this picture on Le coil and it spoke to me, it captures how I feel about my hair, my natural hair, so natural, so me, so in tune with me. My natural hair is me.
