The Power of the Haircut
January 23, 2009So today I paid to have my hair cut for the first time in probably 10 years. It had been a solid 2 months since my last one, and I like to keep it pretty short, like under a 1/8 inch. It was getting a little shaggy and turning into too much work every day. I loathe spending time trying to get my unruly hair to cooperate.
Anyway, I went to the barber shop feeling pretty crappy. Family, most of you know why at this point. Friends, all I’m going to say here is that things at home have not been well for the last couple months. I felt pretty low earlier, and I needed some time to think and have some quiet. I left the kid’s with Kate’s mom and decided to get a hair cut.
I supposed I should back up, because this is a big deal to me. Normally, just deciding to go get a haircut would be totally out of the question. I haven’t had a personal checking or savings account for a few years now, and rarely have money of my own. Today, though, with help from Sheree, I opened a checking account again. I can’t explain how empowering it felt to just decide that I’m getting a haircut and going to do it.
Normally, I cut my own hair and have Kate help me clean it up. It works for us, its cheap and it looks fine. But this, this is totally different. It’s completely even, looks sharp and I honestly feel better about myself than I have in a very long time. She spent a lot more time and effort on it than I ever did, and it shows. I don’t remember the last time I felt this good.
Basically, I’ve come to realize over the last week that I need to get out of my comfort zone and establish my own identity, separate from my duties as a stay at home parent. Empowering myself by getting my own bank account is the first step, buying new tabs for my truck is the next. I’m done being ‘stuck’ at home. It’s extremely unfortunate that it took these circumstances to wake me up to that.
Tangentially, none of this would have been possible for me without the network of family that has been there all along to offer support and wisdom, and I offer you all my heartfelt thanks and appreciation. I don’t know how I would’ve made it through some of this stuff without all of you.
