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I was born with dark brown hair. All my life I wanted to have blonde hair. As a child, I longed to have the light-colored curls of so many girls that I knew.
When I was a teen, my friends were spraying “Sun-In” in their blonde and light brown hair to achieve the chunky sun-kissed highlighted strands. I made the mistake of trying it only once and wound up with patches of a strange mousey color all over my head.
During my younger and single days, I always envied my friends that seemed to attract all the men with a simple flip of their golden long locks. I seemed to fade into the background among my glowing-haired friends while my dark brown hair hid me like a cape.
As I grew older, I had my share of highlights but could never really stray that far from my natural very dark brown color. Not only was it espresso brown, but it did not have one ounce of body or curl to it.
Once spiral perms were out, it was a real struggle. It wasn’t until Demi Moore made the chin length straight bob from Indecent Proposal the “it” hairstyle that I really felt like I had something to work with.
When women complain about their crazy curly hair, I wonder why they cannot appreciate the hair that I have always envied. Hair like the color of sand seems so natural, so flowing, so lovely. Yet it does always seem that people wish for the opposite of what they have.
The other day I was out running errands and was waiting to pay for my items. As I waited in line, I was checking things off my “to do” list when I heard a woman behind me say, “Your hair is so pretty. I love the color.”
I turned around to say thank you and would have continued with how I always wished that it was actually blonde, when I noticed that the woman talking to me had a beautiful smile, friendly eyes and wore a colorful scarf around her own bald head. That day, I smiled and genuinely said, “Thank you.”
Sometimes, we need to be reminded by others that we should appreciate what we have, just the way it is. The people that have more fun are the ones that make the effort to be fun.
Edited by Jody Smith
Add a Comment2 Comments
It seems like we always want what we don't have. I too, wanted golden locks but am a natural brunette. That's not to say that I didn't try, though (emphasis on "try").
My hair is thin and extremely dark so EVERY attempt I EVER made to lighten my hair was a failed one. I always ruined my hair and wished I had left it as it was.
Unfortunately, it took several disasters for me to finally be at peace with my dark locks. I have now made the conscious decision to never dye my hair again and embrace what I have. I look better in my natural color than I have in any other experiment.
Besides, celebs like Kim Kardashian have made it a sought after look. Come to think of it, she too went blonde but quickly went back to black and she's been named world's most beautiful!
November 17, 2011 - 12:56pmThis Comment
I wanted to be like the SoCal girls with the beautiful blond. Some men want blonds some really really want brunettes. I was born and raised here, but never blond. Wanted the tan too, could not get one, I'm a European mutt (Scottish, English, German, French - mostly white skinned-freckled Scott). Had an accident in 1999 and couldn't work for months, read great books in the gorgeous April sun and looked at my face 2 months later and decided, so NOT worth it. My skin looked so old. I spent no time in no sun for a year. I am now thought to be at least 10 years earlier than I am, and can sometimes get carded... my kids are 20 and 24. Keep your good looks lovely ladies! Stay safe too. It is worth to NOT have this skinned and that burned and surgically removed. Have confidence in your lovely self. Your confidence and love is more important to everyone in your life.
November 19, 2011 - 7:19pmThis Comment