>WHY GO NATURAL?

Now doesn't that sound weird? Go natural. We were born natural, our hair was natural from the start, so what does going natural really mean?

Personally, I have been "natural" for eleven years. When I was a child my hair was pressed and permed. As a teen I had a "carefree" curl and in college I had a friend shave my processed hair off. Why? Because it made no sense for me to put chemicals in my hair. Then, I grew with my hair, learned to love my textures and I learned to twist and braid my hair. It has been a decade-long love affair with my natural hair.

When I first shaved off the processed hair, my relatives were shocked. My aunt said it was ugly. But that was down south. I lived in New York City, so I didn't stick out. It was not a fad and since I have braiding/styling skills, I was always able to do my "do" like no one else. I am always styling my hair in ways that no one else does and that makes me feel like an individual.

Jill Scott, Erykah Badu and others have hair that looks like my hair. The fact that they were their hair natural speaks to their creative and individual selves. I am sure this has inspired many Black woman to go back to natural. I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

What's even more beautiful are the Black girls inspired to forego perms to express their individuality because they have seen other women they respect doing it. That's like passing our heritage and legacy along to the next generation.

It can start with hair and then with how one values themselves as a whole.



"Know thyself"

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you". So we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:5,6

"There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
--Morpheus in "The Matrix"

"It's our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"- Dumbledore to Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets"