Let it Fly in the Breeze and Get Caught in the Trees

Back in the day, I was in serious competition for "Queen of the Biggest Hair." Unfortunately, the only award I ever received for this title was a group of snapshots tucked away in my photo album and snickers from anyone who sees them.

My hair was high. It was puffed and curled and round. I constantly used my fingers to fluff it out, lest it fall anywhere close to my scalp and suggest any sort of a droop. I had it permed regularly; sitting in the salon chair amid the stink of ammonia fumes with teary, burning eyes, I saw clearly to the end of my journey - the continued status of huge hairdom. Helmet-headedness. Tresses that were heightened relative to the Sears Tower.

Hair spray soaked the roots of my hair until it dried, clogging any passage inside by probing fingers. Every morning I bent at the waist, flipping it upside down and drying it with the hot blasts of air that assured its tremendous altitude. My cat Ellie, found this to be a game; she would jump up on the sink using it as a bridge to my back and walk to and fro upon it as I dried. When the dryer switched off, Ellie was nudged down off her station as I awaited the moment of truth: was my mission successful? Was my hair as lofty as I required? If someone happened to request my presence as the star of a feature film that day, would I reel away in disgust at the outcome of the project? Or would my hair stand the test of everything from the elements to the envy of those around me who strove for locks as sky-scraping as mine?

I'm not sure what did it, but one day my hair went relatively flat and stayed that way - on purpose. Gone from my crowded cabinets were the myriad volumizing mousses, curl activators and diffusers. They were replaced by moisturizing shampoos and products geared toward softness. Little ammonia-soaked rollers have not graced my head in fifteen years or so and now I revel in the slight waves and movement of my hair in the fresh air. Gone is the constant habit of fluffing.

The absence of all those gyrations of hair gussying gave me a lot of free time on my hands. I was able to get married, have a baby, and go back to school to get my degree. And if I decide to continue on this route, just think - the possibilities are endless!