Guest Blogger: "Natural and Loving It!: My Journey to Freedom"
By ShakaLynn
I’ve always loved the feel of warm wooly cotton locks running through my fingers. From the first time my mother taught me to braid hair I knew it would be a love I’d possess for a lifetime. Yes, I was the teen on the block who would braid, twist, twirl and cornrow up the locals in the neighborhood— male and females. Whether it be for a little spending money or just for the love of it—I was always in someone’s head.
Being a ‘New Yorker’ I am usually willing to give most things a try. And so when my daughter said that she was “going natural” (which I had been telling her for years that natural would be the look that would refine her mild yet saucy personality)—I decided that it would also be my opportunity to forgo perms and hot combs. I’ve been semi-natural off and on over the years and was never a 6-8 week touch-up person. My hair already looked like—huh...what’s going on here? My hair and me have an understanding—I leave it alone and it does its own thing. (smiles)
My natural hair frees me from the traditional look of what a mature woman is “suppose” to be like in the South. Well honey—the South is changing too. “GRITS” (girls raised in the south) have come of age and they are sporting their natural do’s just like their northern sisters. Northerners have always paved the way for new and eclectic ideas. We believe in thinking outside the box and freedom of expression. Even in the perimeters of my Christian faith and being a wife of a dedicated man in the congregation I attend—I am able to be the person that I feel is inside of me--the secret person of the heart--with the beauty that God has given to me through my ancestral heritage. Going natural for me reaffirmed my love of nature, art, poetry, literature, food and life!
I’ve always loved the feel of warm wooly cotton locks running through my fingers. From the first time my mother taught me to braid hair I knew it would be a love I’d possess for a lifetime. Yes, I was the teen on the block who would braid, twist, twirl and cornrow up the locals in the neighborhood— male and females. Whether it be for a little spending money or just for the love of it—I was always in someone’s head. 
Being a ‘New Yorker’ I am usually willing to give most things a try. And so when my daughter said that she was “going natural” (which I had been telling her for years that natural would be the look that would refine her mild yet saucy personality)—I decided that it would also be my opportunity to forgo perms and hot combs. I’ve been semi-natural off and on over the years and was never a 6-8 week touch-up person. My hair already looked like—huh...what’s going on here? My hair and me have an understanding—I leave it alone and it does its own thing. (smiles)
So, one morning last year I sent ArtistMadrid* a text saying, “I’m going natural!” and I haven’t looked back since. This is me...who I’ve always been. Occasionally I’ve tried to please others and do the conditional thing—but taking after my mom, I’ve always been an unconditional person.
My natural hair frees me from the traditional look of what a mature woman is “suppose” to be like in the South. Well honey—the South is changing too. “GRITS” (girls raised in the south) have come of age and they are sporting their natural do’s just like their northern sisters. Northerners have always paved the way for new and eclectic ideas. We believe in thinking outside the box and freedom of expression. Even in the perimeters of my Christian faith and being a wife of a dedicated man in the congregation I attend—I am able to be the person that I feel is inside of me--the secret person of the heart--with the beauty that God has given to me through my ancestral heritage. Going natural for me reaffirmed my love of nature, art, poetry, literature, food and life!
No—”I am not my hair”… but my hair is who I am!
*Yes, ArtistMadrid is my daughter.
ShakaLynn aka Momma,
ReplyDeleteI loved your first article! Even though the "Product Battles" can get fierce at times lol & smh, I love the fact that we now get to be Natural together. I have learned so many important lessons from you. I value that you taught (showed) me how to be comfortable in my own skin and with my abilities. You also are definitely the one that taught me not to take myself too seriously and laugh a little or a lot :)
P.S. Can't wait for your next article!!!