I think--thought?--I'm ready

[wayfaringwordhack]

...to cut off my dreads.

I asked J to buy some conditioner today and planned to cut them off this evening.

Now I'm having second thoughts.

Had the dreads for four years. That's a long time, and yet I told myself I would keep them for at least five.

What to do, what to do?  On the one hand I'm ready for a change and the other, I'm afraid I'll regret it. 

Comments

[frigg.livejournal.com]

CUT off or loosen up?

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

chop, chop...

but not as in shave my head, which is unnecessary and a myth about ending one's relation with dreads,

[frigg.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...I'm having a hard time imagining you with short hair since I've always seen you with long hair or dreads, buuuut there are some really nifty short hairstyles and I guess this could be a perfect time to try one out.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

*nods* It's funny; I've had really short hair in my life time, but the last time was before we met, back in 2001 after the hairdresser FRIED my hair two days before my wedding.

[pjthompson]

Do they represent who you are now? If not, it's time for them to go. :-)

[clarentine]

I second this.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Good question. More thoughts on this in an upcoming post.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Pragmatically I'll observe that your hair will grow again, and you'll be able to create dreads again, if you yearn for them.

.... I'm realizing now, though, that I don't know anything about what it means to have them or to get rid of them--is it something that, symbolically speaking, you can't go back on? My comment above is based purely on the mechanics of hair growing, etc. But if you're not supposed to make dreads having once gotten rid of them, I could see how it would be a harder decision.

... I'm for de-investing these decisions with importance, because otherwise we sometimes cripple ourselves needlessly. I was wedded to the notion of myself with long hair and had a hard time cutting it, though I really wanted to. Finally, one day, I did, and then I spent about 15 years with short or medium-length hair. Now it's back to being long again.

You sure do look beautiful with those dreads, but I know there'll be many ways for you to be beautiful.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

I'm for de-investing these decisions with importance, because otherwise we sometimes cripple ourselves needlessly

You are a very wise woman!

You sure do look beautiful with those dreads, but I know there'll be many ways for you to be beautiful

And very sweet!

[mindseas.livejournal.com]

Why was it originally important for you to wear them for five years?

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Just that I wanted to have them long enough for them to mature.

Turns out, though, that washing one's dreads frequently is the best way to tighten them and getting them looking good, so mine were pretty nice from the first year on.

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

I would disregard any perceived obligation related to the length of time you told yourself you'd wear them to start...

If you feel like they're still 'you,' keep them. If not, go without. Enough has changed in your life since then to justify feeling like a different person.