"Throwback Thursday"

So today is Thursday on FB I saw that my friends were doing a "Throwback Thursday"

FB is where I spend a majority of my time when not volunteering,working HOUSING, meeting with friends,thrifting, going to the library or just enjoying the day. So I'm loving these "on this day". Series. This was my thoughts 5 years ago:

"Cutting my hair every year to remind myself it is not what's outside that matters but, inside." Quote by me lololol hahah

Who has not had struggles dealing with there hair? If you have not and it has always been perfect please let a sister know. Hahahahahaha I'll be the first one to admit that it truly has been a struggle for me.

From the funky braids in my hair
let your soul glow carefree curl
press -n-curl
weaves
getting wiggy with it
frying it dyeing it and laying it to the side
Clean shaven que ball
Tri-color
Dred-Loc Rasta
Wiling out FRO
Head wrap Sistah
Current situation of HIGH TOP Mohawk Fro-Hawk

Hair journeys are like life journeys a big old road to the discovery of self. In the African American community our hair is a source of pride often referred to as "her crown". Our hair can also be a thorn in the side if we do not know how to care for it.

My journey to myself and who I am now started with this first picture of braids I'm the little one on the left rocking the braids and jr mustache. Lolol oh man. My sister had what was referred to as good hair or easy to manage. I had many late nights on Saturday with the press in curl. Sitting with a hot comb by the stove praying to god that my mommy would not burn the tip of my ears,forehead or the back of my neck while straightening my hair with heat. I can still here the sizzle as the hot-comb and the green hair grease sizzled, frying my poor hair.

In my day in the 80s. We did not perm or straighten our young kids hair with perms. We had the CAREFREE CURL,The S Curl, and the Wave NuVoe and the Jeheri Curl. Processed curled hair. None of it was "care free". I was young maybe about 8 or 9. Think The Jackson 5 during the 80s my mom had the perfect Michael Jackson hair. My sister and I walked around with half Afro half curl always with the Jeheri Curl plastic shower cap on. Ugh the memories of going to summer girl scout camp. Our camp counselors meaning well made us wash our hair everyday. It was a nightmare. They were very ignorant and we were the only 2 little black girls. My sister and I might as well have been aliens. While the others had clean hair our was in pretty bad shape at the end of the summer camp. Have you ever tried to use Jeheri curl spray in the woods? It attracts bugs with its sticky sweet smell. We did not have off back in the day. Lolo lol

I was in H.S. The first time I cut my hair bald, well almost bald. I was a jr. In H.S. And this was the early 90s a very punk rock phase in my life. Sorry no pictures but my hair was shaved with a slight bang in the frog and a nice tail in the back. I loved it my family not so much. I had to cut my hair off to get rid of the curl process. A curl changes the natural texture of ones hair so it cannot change back you have to start new or bald or let it grow out which is a whole other set of Circumstances. I remember the day clearly. I had a head full of curls " follow the drip,follow the drip". Ugh how did I live? My sister said we cannot see your eyes because by my jr. Year in H.S. I had grown my hair long. I went to the barber and said shave it all off and it was the mot freedom I had felt ever.

That was the moment I no longer had any attachment to my hair at 17years old. I knew that I could rock a bald look or a head full of hair. Letting go and cutting my hair taught me that my hair is not the sum value of who I am. I've had large Afros to clean shaven. I am me Phenomenal Woman Phenomenally ME.

So come with me on a visual journey of my hair evolution on this "Throwback Thursday "

As always thanks for reading,lurking and or commenting. Comments give me warm and fuzziness inside. Lol

#1 baby Donna on the left,
#2 H.S. Freshman Donna on the left in the yellow (sister Desirre in the red and white sweater).
#3 first deployment Donna 19 years old in the Army
#4 shaving hair Donna
#5/6 weaved up Mohawk Donna
#7/8 bald again Donna
#9 wigged up Donna
#10 tried a color hated it Donna (it was supposed to be purple #epicfail)
#11/12 Fred-loc Donna
#13/14 headwraps(we still wrap it)
#15/17 unlocked my Dreds(with the help of my darling sister Desiree)
#16,18,19, my forest to death cut
#20 my fly fly cut and my wonderful barber Denard he gets me.
21 extra daddy and donna