THIS IS IT!!!

Today, after five years of being natural, I'm relaxing my hair.

I'm SO excited!

But also a little emotional.

I went natural for a few reasons. Initially I just wanted to try it to see if I'd like it. But as the process went along and I started really engaging in the journey - because it really is a journey, it started to mean a lot more...

My natural journey co-incided with my spiritual journey. As I really committed to the process, I began to recognize just how signigicant a change this was for me. This was me going agianst the grain, me learning to embrace who i really am and to love that woman NO MATTER what other people think, expect or prefer.

I think that for most women, what we do with our hair is really an indicator of what's goin on inside us. I'm no different.

In my family, I've been the black sheep. In every way, hair and othewise. Some have loved it and some, not so much. But just like with the way I've changed spiritually, I have found myself more and more in love with this side of my physical beauty (because everyone's beautiful in some way, whether or not we see it or welcome it).

I've loved this natural thing. I so appeciate the condfidence and the shift in values that have taken root in my spirit as a result. It really has a been a GREAT ride.

But it's time for a change.

Today, I will relax my hair. For lots of reasons (the least of which being the fact that in a lot of ways it represents a new season of life for me). It's just time.

I have spent the last week taking pictures of my hair and I'm going to take one today of my combed out natural before T straightens it. And then there will obviously be the 'afters' too.

I am sooooo excited. It's been a great ride and an incredibly freeing thing, this natural season. Really incredible...

But now, I get to start seeing pieces of the me that I've missed so much. I get to experience life as myself, only better (i.e., more mature, broken and useable). I know... so much more now than I did then.

Sooooo much more.

Pics coming soon!