hello brotha’s and sista’s alike! as some of you may know, i will be cutting my hair off this coming weekend in order to help morph my physical body into that of the incredible Hazel Grace Lancaster---and i couldn’t be more amped. not only do i have the opportunity to externally shift my current establishment of self, but i have the blessed gift of donating my long locks to a wonderful organization who will then create a wig for someone in need. WHAT AN HONOR.
john green (author of T.F.I.O.S.), wyck godfrey (producer of the film), and i all decided that this could be a beautiful opportunity to rally the troops of mankind and ask for some warriors to help contribute to the cause. any of you have 8 inches of hair to spare? or maybe know a friend or family member that does? if so, consider JOINING THE #hairforhazel TEAM! i’ve already got my mom committed, and possibly a few friends as well. i know the thought of chopping off part of your image is frightening, which is why i want to share with you my personal relationship with my hair (woah, that was a lot of “with’s” and “my’s”)
okay!
so!
my hair!
for the past five years i’ve been on an i-want-to-grow-my-hair-as-long-as-possible kick. before cutting it for a project last december, it was almost down to my bum. holy wow it was long. about half way through my hair-growing escapade, i began to deeply look at WHY i was so keen on creating flowing locks down my spine. was it because of my obsession with pocahontas as a child? kind of. was it because of my admiration of native american culture? maybe. was it because of my kneading desire to dodge the chemical smell of salon lairs? oh yes. after much thought and curiosity surrounding the subject, i finally came to the conclusion that hair, for me, was a symbol of strength. it was a symbol of commitment to my power. of connection to my ancestry. of recognizing my natural beauty. that which exists without chemical dyes, or hairspray, or scissors. a symbol of my sovereignty. of my humble desire to feel grounded within my own skin. not the image magazines and reality shows desperately try to throw in our faces, but the image of authentic beauty. funky hairlines included! (anyone else have an eccentric hairline? because mine decided to be super-original and all over the place).... allowing my genetics to take control and produce long, luscious locks was my way of paying homage to my kindred spirit. i felt powerful, in control, strong. i felt connected to my womanhood, connected to my ancestors... and for the longest time, i was committed to never chopping it off. cut to: now. on saturday, it will be the shortest it’s ever been. and i feel so relieved, so ready, so dedicated. about 6 months ago, my amazing kick-ass younger brother (get ready world, he’s on fire!) played me a song by regina spektor. it’s called “ghost of corporate future” (do check it out...it’s a winner), and in it resides a very special tid-bit of wisdom (which just so happens to be completely relevant to todays topic): “maybe you should just cut your own hair, ‘cause that can be so funny. it doesn’t cost any money and it always grows back, hair grows even after you’re dead”.... upon hearing these words, i was immediately inspired to cut my own hair off with abandon. shed old layers and practice the art of playfulness. out of nowhere, i did a complete 360. i went from sacralizing the length of my hair, to appreciating the spontaneity of chopping it off. and also recognizing the beauty of freedom. i think there is something so exceptionally admirable about one’s commitment to allowing their face to shine without hair blocking it. it’s all about balance i suppose. about knowing what’s right for you on your own personal journey. there was a time when growing my hair out symbolized something for me, but the power of sharing that choice, sharing the ability to have long hair with someone feels far more powerful right now. i know what it feels like to have wind blow through my wavy locks, and i am over-the-top grateful i get to share that gift with another.
so i guess this was my attempt at asking you to take a look at your own situation. if you are in a place of absolutely loving your lengthy dreds, then GO YOU AND KEEP ON GROWIN‘ IT OUT! on the other hand, if you are in the position to cut off 8 inches of your hair, then i strongly urge you to do it. there are so many human beings out there who would LOVE the opportunity to possess long hair, but simply can not because of their current situation.... let’s share!
...and remember what regina said, HAIR GROWS BACK.... :)
you can donate your locks to http://www.childrenwithhairloss.us and use hashtags (is that the correct use of that word?!) #hairforhazel and #itgrowsback to help spread the word!
PS! AS I’VE BEEN WRITING THIS, JOHN GREEN HAS BEEN EMAILING ME WITH UPDATES ON HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE ALREADY DONATED! i am in tears. HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR OUR ABILITY TO GIVE!
yay!!! :)))