Dreadlocks No More.

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Why did I create my dreadlocks? Because I think they’re unique and I think unique is beautiful. I’ve always loved them and wanted them. My mum remembers me asking if I could get dreads when I was little.

I’ve always thought there was something magical, spiritual about those who have dreadlocks, I felt like they looked insightful, like they had some great mystery to reveal, knowledge reserved for just them.

I flt so proud and happy the very moment I made up my mind and went ahead with them, not everyone agreed but that made me even more happy because I knew it really was for me. (I’ve never been one for peer pressure.) I was glad I was strong enough to go against the idea of what others thought I should be, and just did it for myself.

I liked that they kept most people at a distance, kind of weeded out who would and wouldn’t talk to me and those who wouldn’t simply because of my hair was an eye opener and one I’m glad to have had.

They made me more me.

But the part no one could ever understand is that I didn’t mean it physically, I meant it within.

Yesterday my dreads were 12 months old.

I finished combing the last one out last night.

It took me 5 days to remove them all.

Strange because I never ever thought I’d get rid of my dreadlocks. I thought they’d just grow old right along with me.

It was actually a tough and painful process. But I now realise that was all part o the plan. I just kind o woke one morning and knew that I was going to get rid ofthem.

Not because I no longer like them, but because I didn’t need them anymore.

This whole year with dreadlocks has been big for me, an experience I’ll totally treasure forever. I needed those dreadlocks as weird as it may sound. They gave me so much and helped me remove so much too.

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I decided that no matter how hard it was, that I would comb them out.

(partially because I am vein in regards to my hair and partly because I felt bad or glen…He mets this reasonably attractive girl, marries girl, she gets piercings, tattoos and dreadlocks….and then bald?….He didn’t sign up or that. The funny thing is that I know he wouldn’t have cared though. He hasn’t seen my hair yet, it’s a surprise for Tuesday night when he gets home.)

Though MOSTLY again, I did it for myself.

A release, an end to “something” a change…..

So anyway, some o them took over 2 hours to comb out. And at some points I wondered why I was even bothering.

Day 2.5….should I stop? Should I keep trying?…

Why don’t I just keep them?

Why don’t I just cut them off?

There were some tears, and a heck o a lot of hair….12 months of lost hairs caught up in those dreadlocks. Man…I thought I would be bald by the time I’d done.

Funny how much like life the whole process of one hair do can be.

After those 5 days I kinda now feel at peace. It’s done. I didn’t give up even when I broke down and thought I’d just quit. My very skull was so sensitive to touch and couldn’t even brush it.

But I didn’t stop.

Life….hmm….what a weird thing.

And hair….weird too.

I was rewarded however, for my patience and perserverance. My hair has never been healthier, which you’d think would be the opposite. It’s like each strand has been wrapped in a cocoon of natural oils for a year. It’s soft and shiny.

I’m glad I didn’t quit.

We are ALWAYS rewarded in the end for not giving in to what seems easy. It is ALWAYS the long,hard, painul path that give the best results and we are usually far more thankful for the ones no one ever sees.

So it’s done.

They’re no more.

I feel lighter, inside and out.

I think I’ll miss them.

I feel like I’ll keep the lessons they taught me about the world and about people and most importantly about myself.

 I’ll never regret my 12 months dreadlock thing….

So was that the shock you expected?

🙂

Take care.