Snipped. Snipped. Off went the long tresses. It took me so long to get it to this length; did I make the right choice in cutting it short?
As I flipped the magazine covers and pored at the beautiful hairdos, I wondered: Oh, it would be lovely to have that crown of glory.
But when I walked on the streets and observed the sea of heads, I puzzled: Seems like acquiring that perfect hair is a high maintenance job!
The media sells us an image that few could—or would—ever attain. And even if one should attain it, it is at what cost?
Marcia Aldrich wrote a humorous essay* on hairstyle. Here are some excerpts:
“In my sister’s case, the quest for perfect hair originates in a need to mask her appearance; in my mother’s case, she wants to achieve a beauty of person unavailable in her own life story. Some women seek transformation, not out of dissatisfaction with themselves, but because hair change is a means of moving along in their lives. These women create portraits of themselves that won’t last forever, a new hairstyle will write over the last.”
“[Her sister said]: ‘Don’t women have better things to think about than their hair?’ I bite back: ‘But don’t you think hair should reflect who you are?’ ‘To be honest, I’ve never thought about it. I don’t think so. Cut your hair the same way, and lose your self in something else. You’re distracted from the real action.’ ”
“[Her hairstylist said] I see hair as an extension of the head and therefore I try to do my hair with a lot of thought. . . . Nothing is permanent, nothing is forever. Don’t feel hampered or hemmed in by the shape of your face or the shape of your past. Hair is vital, sustains mistakes, can be born again. You don’t have to marry it.”
As I mused on this frivolous triviality, 1 Peter 3:2-4 came to mind. It states, “Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”
Next year, I’m going to try to grow my hair past my shoulders. ?
* “Hair” originally appeared in The Northwest Review (1992) and was selected by Joseph Epstein for The Best American Essays 1993.
btplove on November 30, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Hello Poh fang chia, having to wear wigs since I was about 15 years old because of Alapica, hair is something I have longed for for quite a while. I see all of the new styles and yes I have worn quite a few. I even tried the lace fronts that they have available now. I only pray that God will restore back to me what I believe is rightfully mine, hair. I remember sitting on the couch once with my sister and a shampoo comercial came on, the lady in the comercial says, “your hair is not something you can just take off and put to the side”. I looked at my sister and said to her, “mines is”. She laughed so hard she fell on the floor. Although I make lite of it, it becomes a chore a lot of times because it can become pretty costly depending on what I get. And then the hair piece has to be adjusted to fit my head.
I was into jewelry when I was young but not now, I do like nice clothes though. And although I am concerned about my inward man, because that is what counts, 1 Corinthians 11:15 says, But if, (key word if), a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering, I still pray that God will restore my hair back to me.
poh fang chia on December 1, 2009 at 1:21 am
Thank you btplove for your sharing. It is very humbling because I realize that I take so many things for granted. Hope to encourage you with these words: You are precious to Him.