Hair

I have thick, some say gorgeous (mostly a compliment from a non-Asian), dark black hair. Growing up, my Mom cared a lot for me and at times, it seemed to me, more for my hair. She would soak it in smelly, sticky coconut oil and massage it into my scalp until I'd fall off the stool, snoring. In school, we had to braid our hair and tie it up so that it was never below the waist, as a result my hair got wavy and my hair-styles were rather limited. Everyone complimented my mother for my luscious locks, but truly, I despised it. It was heavy, thick and I was constantly hot around my neck in the humid Madras heat. To add to it, me being all of 5'2" I resembled Rapunzel, except with no shining Prince to the rescue. As soon as Mom gave me Independence to do whatever-the-hell I wanted cause she was done with the whining, I chopped it all off!

When I had Tara, I told myself, I'll not shave her head (a ritual we follow), I'm convinced that that's the reason I have such thick hair. I would let her hair grow and cut it, keep it short, not bother with coconut oils and massage. Uh, who has the time! But then, I saw my little Rapunzel, with her curly locks and brownish-black hair and asked my Mom to pass the coconut oil. Tara's hair grew and grew and I did not take her near a pair of scissors. I enjoy the time I spend brushing her hair, braiding it, making sure the center parting is dead center and giving her a small whack with the back of the comb to KEEP HER HEAD STRAIGHT, FORTHELOVEOFGOD! Everyone complimented me on the long hair and I realized it's deja-vu to my childhood days.

Nisha came along and same thing, I let her hair grow. She has very fine light-brown hair and not much of it. I often comment that I'm so glad my girls didn't inherit my hair. I'd go nowhere without my CHI flat-iron, as I can't do much with my hair, it is so frizzy and unmanageable, argh, damn my south-Indian genes! I sound vain don't I? I know I am. But I envy Blake Lively and her tosslied up look! I have spent more on my hair than on anything else - books, clothes, shoes, handbags. But now as I inch towards the big 4-0, I've realized it's not worth it. My hair has lost its shine, it's mostly grey, and there is hardly much left. I'm toying with the idea of letting the grey start to grow out - QUELLE HORREUR!). The excessive flat-ironing, drying, coloring has ruined it so much that I hardly have any left, and if it wasn't for my Mom taking such good care of it in my younger days, I'd be bald, pretty sure (Also, thanks Ma :).

Started the New Year by heading to the salon with both my girls to cut their locks. They enjoyed the experience and both have been standing in front of the mirror shaking their hair and admiring it. They can decide how they'd like it styled but from now on, I'm going to experiment and change up their styles as their personalities change. As for me, I've tossed the flat-iron out, tied my hair up in a bun and decided to grow-up.