Mirrors & Windows Part 1

In terms of my hair, my hair has been natural for most of my life except for the time between my senior year in high school and my junior year in college.  Once I reached my junior year, I stopped relaxing my hair only because I was starting to do more student teaching and it was cutting into my money because I could not work as many hours at my on-campus job.  By my senior year, I was no longer relaxing my hair.  (Interestingly enough, neither were a few of my friends at the time.  Although for different reasons.)

Even though I was no longer relaxing my hair, I was still straightening my hair.  As a child, my mom often used the hot comb on my hair.  So, all I knew was applying heat to get "good hair".  Finally, I realized that I could embrace my natural curls.  I owe this to Janelle Monae, what she did at the time was different--hairstyles paired with formal black and white wear.  I think the black and white helped me to see her as a blank slate and her hair could shine.

First I started working on the pompadour but then I ended up getting married and getting pregnant so I transitioned into the bun.  After this point in time, I was confused about my natural hair.  Why did Janelle Monae's curls look so good? Why did Naptural85's curls look so good?  Hair envy sunk in.  Luckily, I had my sister-in-law, Ly'chel, who wanted to save my head from hiding in a bun.  She started doing my hair, flat twists and then Marley Braids.

While she was busy saving my head and working on many others, I was watching and learning.  I watched her and I continued to watch other vloggers especially Naptural85.  I then realized that I had heat damage.  Now, each time I do my hair, I realize that my hair even though it is "shrinking" it is actually longer if I straighten it.  Also, while doing my hair it is getting fuller.  What this all tells me is that it is getting healthier.  I am learning my hair and I'm not trying to replicate what others are doing but instead watching other successful "natural hair vloggers" I'm learning what works and doesn't work for me.  I use their experiences to experiment, if it works it works but if it doesn't, it doesn't.