I got my hair cut today. A lot. I meant to, but, of course, it did not come out as I expected. Like a good hair salon patron I went in with a specific idea and a more specific picture in hand. I showed the picture to my stylist. I really did. We discussed it. Then she cut my hair exactly as she saw fit. Certainly wasn't the cut I requested. Then she told me that she left it a little longer than the picture on the top and longer in the back. Well, she was right on one bit of that. The back was longer -slightly, maybe 1/2 inch at most. But the top where I had wanted the length- noooo, that wasn't really longer than the picture. From my estimate it is about one inch shorter than I requested. And when the longest hair on my head is now about 4 inches- maybe- that one inch really makes a difference. I had long hair last year- past my shoulders. It was a pain to keep up with since my hair is fine but thick....took too much time to style. So this summer I went shorter and I loved that first medium length cut. Right at my shoulders, long side bangs, stacked in the back. Very flattering. Easy to work with. BUT- twice after I had my hair cut by the same stylist, requesting the same cut, it was never QUITE the same. Why is that? But it was close and I lived. Until I was in a store one day, waiting in line and I looked around me. There were three other women, all about my age, and we all had the exact same haircut. Ummm- not what I had in mind. I did not want the hair cut du jour. I wanted something * NEW*.
So I found a picture of the cut that seemed to say "me". And I was realistic- I knew she couldn't give me the super model face and body that was attached to the cut. But just "The Cut".That's all I wanted. Instead I have "the lady at the front desk at school" cut according to Bella. Which was exactly what I didn't want- dowdy and serviceable. Or worse, I have my "mother-in-law's haircut" according to my mother. Again serviceable and just fine if you are eighty. I'm not.
Why is it so hard to meld the cut that I want with the cut that I can get?? I wasn't asking for an afro or my hair to be 12 inches longer. I was reasonable. And now, now I can get a job at the middle school front desk (Oh no! I just realized- I have that job- volunteering once a week!)or be a nice 80 year old great grandmother. All so very far from my vision of a hip, young me.
It will grow. My new mantra. It will grow. And a couple of times I have seen me in the mirror and thought "If I didn't know you, I would think it was a cute cut." So maybe that is the jist of it all. The cut isn't that bad. It just isn't me. But.....it will grow. And otherwise, life is good but life is crazy.....................and my hair will grow.
