My Hair, My Flow.

If you had to pick one thing in the world to represent the entirety of your personality, anything at all, what would you choose? I imagine some might say their room, or maybe you'd pick an animal. It's a difficult question with an even more difficult answer. I say it's difficult because everyday we change. Through little experiences and social interactions everyday our cue's become stronger, we begin to adapt subconsciously. Discovering new ways of thinking and perceiving. Even if you don't see it, it's happening.

The beginning of my 8th grade year I chose to stop touching my hair completely. I still washed and kept it moisturized. But that's about it. This was a major decision for me. This was very significant because it was the first time in my life that I made a decision with my hair. For my whole life my hair was the way my parents wanted. The bald fade, mid taper fade with the clean half afro. The whole nine. For a year I grew out my hair, no hair cut, no touch ups. My parents hated it, every time I spoke to them my hair was mentioned. But I stayed strong on my decision to let my hair be my hair, letting it flow and grow with me.

It was no longer an accessory that I could change or cut a I pleased. My freeformed hair became its own entity to me. Something I grew with, took care of, experienced things with. Slowly I began to flow with what was starting to become freefrom locs. I stopped forcing and getting obsessed with what could be. Through observing my hairs journey and becoming upset with its length, impatiently wanting it to become my desired length. I learned you can become so obsessed on your end goal, that you can't see to appreciate not what's in front you, but around you. You can't have the want to expand on your current situation. For example:

You have a garden, you absolutely adore this garden and especially your row of rose bushes. In this garden you have lilies, strawberries, tomatoes, and of course roses. After a very unusually dry summer one of your rose bushes just couldn't take it. You're devastated. This was your first row of roses and now it's ruined. You look around at your garden, disappointed, wondering if there's any point to even try anymore.

We've all experienced a feeling similar to this, whether it's accidentally deleting a very detailed and organized music playlist. Or logging into a game to see it didn't save from last night. For me it was my barber giving the most lopsided haircut in history. To complete the story he even left one of my locs hanging on by 3 single strands of hair. I had to let the little guy go, I was devastated. This was my first set of Locs, and now, they were ruined. I had fifty-five Locs, but could only focus on one. While I was grieving I noticed that although this strand was gone, my locs kept growing. I know, "Duh," right? But it was an opening realization. No matter how bad I want a specific something to happen. I cannot force it, speed it up the process, or overturn what has already occurred. But, I can water the seeds around me. For me this was ensuring my hair was in great condition, better than ever before. Flowing with the world around me. Focusing on the process more than the goal.

I no longer desire a specific outcome. It will all work out how it is supposed to. and I stay in control by having full control and proactivity over my RE-actions. What would represent your personality?

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