Time to cut off a chunk of hair for Locks of Love. Actually, I already did it…about eight hours ago (and boy does my head feel lighter!!!). I’ve got before and after pictures that I can post here eventually (once I figure out how to do it).
Though I always wanted long hair when I was a kid, I had short hair throughout most of my childhood (my mother liked it short). I didn’t start growing it out until my senior year in high school (coincidentally, I started growing it when I met the guy I would one day marry…HE liked long hair). Once I started growing it out, I could never bear to cut it. I’d cut an inch or two off the bottom (to get rid of split ends) every now and then, but I didn’t really cut it until I was in my thirties.
I don’t remember exactly when I decided to cut it for the first time…but what prompted me to do it was hearing about an organization called Locks of Love . Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children who are suffering from long-term medical hair loss. They need ponytails that are ten inches or longer (it takes 6-10 ponytails to make one hairpiece). I’ve been growing and donating my hair ever since. My ponytails are getting thinner and thinner each time I donate one, unfortunately. But as long as I’ve still got hair to donate, I’ll keep doing it. I gave them 14 inches today. It’s weird to look around and see how many people have longer hair than I do now. That’s just wrong. But most of them will be cutting their hair in the next few weeks…I won’t be. Not until it starts getting caught in the door again – that’s usually a good indication that it’s time for another hair cut.
(BTW, if you go to Great Clips and tell them you want to donate to Locks of Love, they’ll cut your hair for FREE!)