Can I tell you how much I miss my tropical paradise/coconut/fruit salad?
I will.
December 2016 was the last time I:
- saw my curls
- got the chance to
detangle as I gorun my fingers through my kinks - engaged in hours-long twisting sessions while catching a movie on the Netflix
- “tamed” these edges before pushing the fro into a puff
- massaged my scalp freely
- just loved on it.
Protective styles are great. I’ve expressed this before. They give me a break from doing too much of #6 above, they help me to get to work on time (because I’m not spending all morning undoing the results of #3), and they’re just pretty and creatively done. Will I continue to protective style? For sure. Will I continue to complain that I miss my hair? For sure.
In December, I had Senegalese twists. I followed that up with regular box braids. After that came crochet braids. Other than brief intervals when the styles were removed so the scalp could breathe, I really haven’t experienced my hair for six months. But lest you believe some fairy tale grandmother forced me to put in these protective styles, it was my choice to keep the strands tucked in until May. I needed to leave it be. There was also some damage to my ends after coloring my hair last year (we’re not going to talk about that right now; I’m still in my feelings), so it was just necessary to leave it ‘lone for a while. This time, however, I made sure to moisturize and oil and do all the things you need to do to actually protect the hair while it’s in a protective style.
This weekend, my stylist will take out my crochets. My natural hair will then receive a much needed deep conditioning and a trim of ends that have likely declared mutiny since the last time I trimmed them.
Will I weep when I touch my scalp again?
Maybe.
Happy Thursday and onwards and upwards…and frowards.
This Square Peg. 