Monday, September 21, 2009

Brown, or black, or carrot.

What is it about hair that makes it so emotionally charged?

Some people seem to rest their entire lives on their hair. A friend used to say “well when my hair gets long again this will happen or that will happen or I will be happier.” She honestly believed this. I’m not talking about Kari by the way. Kari and I did however have a discussion about hair a few weeks ago. I was telling her that as silly as it sounds, I’ll be happy to be back to my natural if only because people will have to like me for me and not my hair. How ridiculous does that sound? It’s not that I’m saying “oh people liked me so much because I was blonde!” But people honestly did notice me more. They would come up to me and ask me where I got it done, or how I achieved it being so white, since towards the end I was doing it on my own. My hair was a sort of statement that collaborated with the clothing I like to wear. At times I felt like people liked my “statement” first and me second. Kari understood what I meant. She told me how people would tell her all the time how much they loved her long curly hair and how beautiful it was. It was almost like her hair was an entity entirely unto its own.

Someone else’s hair can be emotional for another person as well. If your name is Marion, Bryce’s hair might hold some secret tenderness in your heart. In A Tale of Two Cities Dr. Manette, who was held in the Bastille in France for 18 years, kept with him a locket of his lover’s golden hair. This creates a pretty emotional reunion when he, as a broken and somewhat deranged man, meets his daughter for the first time. Her golden hair is what helps him recall many sweet memories, once lost to him while being housed in the Bastille. We all I am sure easily recognize the lyrics “your hair is everywhere. Screaming infidelities and taking its wear.” Thank you Chris Carrabba. Harper gave me a good sized copy of this photo she took of me. My mom showed it to my papa the other day and he began to tear up. It reminded him so much of my grandmother.

I am wanting to know. What is it that makes hair so emotional?

6 comments:

Unknown said...

"and another thing
you have to know in this world
cut up your hair
straighten your curls
well, your problems
hide in your curls"
-the white stripes

Myke said...

I'm more curious to know what band they had at their wedding. And whether or not a medley of "I'll Follow You Into The Dark"/"Sweet Darlin'" happened.

robin said...

hair. i will NEVER understand why people are so emotionally connected to it. why people cry when they cut it off (think "what not to wear") or why women keep their hair long to please the man in their life. i just don't get it.

after reading this post my first thought was "i'm not emotional about my hair" because i cut it really short and have no qualms about it. but the more i thought about it, i thought, "that's me making a statement about myself". is that the same as attaching emotion to my hair? maybe.

Vickie said...

For me, my hair is something I can do all sorts of crazy things with because it grows out, washes out, straightens out or curls. When I get bored I do something to my hair. Right now I'm bored and I want to do something to it but I can't because I want to grow it and I would like for it to be all one color.

I know a girl who does "hair therapy" every time she breaks up with someone she changes her hair. I know of people that change their hair everytime something big changes in their lives.

When I was younger I mostly always had my hair long, (except for when my mom started working in the mornings, since my dad was the one that had to get us ready for school he preferred to just brush it and go, so they cut our hair) My mom LOVES my hair long, but she hates hers long. She doesn't care about Noemi's but she loves mine. I used to go through phases where it would be hella long then I would cut it and my mom would keep the 5-8 inches of my hair she cut off.

My hair has been long, hot pink, short, too short, blue, purple, red red, light pink, long, permed, medium length, then short. I am determined to let it grow out now.

The last time that I cut my hair I asked a friend before I cut it if they thought I looked better with long or short hair. They said long but I cut it anyway. When I saw said friend they said "I told you I liked it long and you cut it anyway" they probably don't remember saying this but I felt like it bothered them that I cut my hair.

CassParelli said...

Leah we love you for you, not because of your hair or the vintage style you wear!! (She Likes Me For Me; Blessed Union of Souls) And that's the truth! That's what's so great about family!! Love your favorite people in Sandy!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the shout out! I still have a lock of those golden locks... Shhhh. Haha, JK. But what if I did? Seriously.