Today was the day. I began a journey 2 years ago, today it was time for that journey to reach its end. With nothing but a simple desire, I made a choice. I felt it was time. My journey grew from a decision – grow your hair Heather, be patient, donate it.
Ever have one of those moments? So often we fail to follow through with our hair-brained ideas, but sometimes we do. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if it was even possible for my hair to grow with enough length to donate, but it was worth a shot. There were several times I thought about calling it quits. Many times the length was an annoyance. The “swish” while running was a bit cumbersome. I would gaze at other hair styles with a longing that begged for change. Ever have those temptations in the midst of a journey? Me neither. Then I thought about that child, that young adult. The small inconvenience of carrying around a heavy ponytail pales in comparison with the life of one who would love even a moment of touching hair instead of skin. Such a small sacrifice on my part.
As I went through the “lasts” the past few days, I found myself feeling a bit excited and a bit sad. I suppose it happens as you near the end of a long journey. I squeezed the last huge amount of shampoo into the palm of my hands, ran my fingers through my hair, wrapped a pony-tail holder around the back of my head (something I could do blind-folded in my sleep), kissed my children while holding back my hair, and felt the texture of my frizz curls underneath. It actually reminded me of taking a moment to savor my last pregnancy – the excitement of anticipation tinged with a bit of sadness.
I truly am thankful. I’m thankful for this sense of freedom that the Lord has led me into. Several times, my dynamic hair stylist Ashley gave me a warning that the scissors were approaching. I had zero fear. But more than that, I realized how un-attached I am to this part of me. Many women do find their identify in their hair. Whether it represents a desire to stay young, to live in a time that represented happiness, or simply a desire to find beauty in their locks, I found myself with zero hesitancy in saying goodbye. I could whole-heartedly say, “It’s just hair” – and actually mean it. Mine will grow back, others don’t have that option.
In placing a status update both on facebook and on twitter this morning, I received several notes of encouragement. I loved reading other’s “takes”. My favorite came from my friend Vicki,
What a wonderful thing to donate to, and you’re donating a part of yourself too!
I suppose it did evoke a sense of personal donation, though it wasn’t an organ I donated, it was a part of me. In light of how Christ gave, it was the least I could do.
What is the Lord asking you to give of yourself today? Time? Resources? Energy?
Proverbs 11:25
A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
Filed under: giving
