Good hair

Back in September I asked you ladies rocking a natural ‘do to send me a photo of your magnificent mane and to tell me why you love your hair just the way the Creator made it.

One reader sent me a story that I just had to share with you all.

Luretha Crosby of Lithonia, Ga., had this to say about her fabulous ‘fro.

Although I have worn my hair natural most of my life, it took me a long time to become comfortable enough with myself to wear an afro.

My hair has been a site for struggle. Growing up, the struggle was with my mother for control over my hair. Then I struggled with my hair trying to get it to do what I wanted. When I was 21, I spent two hours washing, conditioning, and pressing my hair– you know, running a hot metal comb through my hair until it was straight. I did all this in anticipation for the first day of classes my senior year of college. As soon as I stepped outside, it frizzed right back up. Two hours totally wasted.

I spent all day watching the other girls on campus as their hair flowed and ebbed around their faces. The wind would blow through their hair and their hair would whisper back. And then there was my hair, barely being contained by a hair band. I was pissed. That was the day I decided to get my first ever relaxer.

I looked in the mirror after I relaxed my hair. I turned my head to the left, and my hair flopped over my right eye. I turned my head to the right, and my hair flopped over my left eye. I thought, “Oh my God, I killed it!”

It always infuriated me when my hair didn’t do what I wanted; it still does sometimes. But I didn’t know how it would affect me after I whipped my hair into submission. I immediately missed my crazy hair — wavy in the front, curly in the back. The chemicals in the relaxer bleached my hair. It was no longer jet black. All that special stuff that my hair used to do was gone.

It was a long time before I grew all that relaxer out of my hair. Now I can ‘fro my hair up whenever I want. It feels pretty darn good having hair that lives on its own terms.

~ Luretha Crosby luretha.crosby@gmail.com

And here are a few other ladies who heart their hair and why.

LaTasha Merchant of Montgomery, Ala., said, “I like my hair because I have the freedom to ask myself each morning, ‘To comb or not to comb?'”

Samaria Gladney of Cincinatti, Ohio said, “I love my natural afro because it’s big, bold, thick, and in your face. I want it to get even bigger. I recently straightened it and hated it. I think natural hair is best for me.”

Andrea Robinson of Birmingham, Ala. said she loves her natural hair simply because “It’s me! I got tired of burning my scalp with chemicals. I’m more comfortable with (my hair) now and some days I can just wash it and go.”

Do you have a story to tell? Send your pics, comments and post ideas to javacia@soulinstereo.com.