Hello, again! This post is about hair. Something many of us take for granted and change on a whim. Something many kids and adults miss, only to then feel guilty for missing something so superficial, while battling for their life.
Sadly my closest childhood friend Jaymie had Lymphoma. She had an adult sister that was Native American, which may be why we connected so much because of my heritage, so following her beliefs she wanted to let her own body heal itself when she wasn't feeling well. That and she did not like going to doctors.
I think this shows where this post is headed, she did lose her battle. Because she had waited when not feeling well her cancer was stage 4 when they discovered it.
She battled bravely. Not really complaining and still being her amazing self. I would hesitantly call her, scared I would hear she took a turn for the worse, and she would fill me in on the treatment she was undergoing at the moment. I admittedly felt a huge relief wash over me when I would know she was okay.
One day though that wasn't the case. I had called her, which admittedly had been a while since the last time I had called her since I had just given birth to my youngest and my oldest wasn't quite two years old. On top of those things I was working as well.
Now it feels like justification listing the reasons why I hadn't called sooner but we both would get busy living our lives and not speak for a while then pick up right where we had been. The way you do with truly close friends.
When I heard the news I went to her Mom's house. She told me she had been asking for me but they didn't know how to contact me... which was a lie because her fiance had been to my house numerous times and knew where she kept her phone numbers. He just disliked me because of my protectiveness over her.
Her mother also gave me a pair of her earrings she loved with her birthstone in them, which I still have.
This happened in 2008. So times were different than they are now regarding communicating with someone.
Now if you want to talk to someone; typically you find their Facebook, text, email, snapchat etc. That wasn't the case then.
I carried regrets for a long time about not having known or called sooner. I can hear Jaymie telling me not to so I try to honor her instead.
She always loved my hair. My heritage being Chippewa, Cree and Irish means my hair is thick and my mom kept it long, because she liked it long, so a lot of my childhood it was long.
This made me not want to have my hair long because I was a tomboy that wanted to be able to get out and climb trees, learn to fix cars etc. Rather than spend time messing with my hair. I also have always loved to learn so I would also rather spend time learning than on my hair.
Yes, I did not appreciate it.
Now, however.... I have done more learning into my culture.
I was not raised to know Native American culture or Irish culture, but I wanted to.
Having the internet filled with vast knowledge at my fingertips I decided I would learn myself about them.
My mom was born in '44, so growing up there was still a lot of racism which caused my grandparents to not teach her about our culture, despite the fact they spoke the language fluently and knew the culture and customs.
She was told if anybody asks her she is French Canadian.
The reason I say all of that is to explain that in my culture "ChippewaCreeIsh" our hair has meaning. Cutting it signifies change. Either a positive change such as rebuilding yourself or due to a tragedy.
Which does make me wonder if that is also why so many people change their hair after a break-up... but that is my ADHD wanting to side subject again, apologies.
This is the amount cut for donation. I buzzed my hair in 2019, which I suggest everybody does at some point in their lives if they haven't (during the summer months). The wind on the scalp is such a great feeling, especially when it is hot outside.
(Picture for reference, although the top did end up shorter.)
Since 2019 my hair grew to my butt. So I decided it was time to cut and donate it. Which I was inspired to do by my closest friend losing her battle with the C word.
The reason I write this post is not to brag about what I did but to ask others to do so as well.
If your hair is long and you decide to change it, please measure and donate it. If it is almost long enough to donate, but not quite, please consider waiting to cut it to be able to donate it. Last but not least by far, if you would like to do the same as I do and grow your hair to be able to cut and donate it, do it!
Most of the time we grow our hair out wanting it long, decide to cut it, grow it....
You can still do that. Just donate it rather than tossing it.
You really could change a life. Possibly even multiple depending on the amount donated.
Also: My son Tony, who was a newborn when she passed, had been growing his hair as well and decided to cut it and donate it also. Yes, I am very proud of him.
This post shows my age but that is fine with me. I have always been proud of my years on the Earth. I have leveled up, advanced, learned and grown.
Wanted to share this in hopes that maybe even one person would be inspired, if not more.
Thank you for taking the time to read.