Our crowning glory

Aside from our clothing, shoes, bag, jewelry, make-up and personality. Our hair is one of the things that people often notice in us and the thing that they often remember in us. They even say our hair is our crowning glory. Maybe because it is place on top of our head, which seems like a crown that we carry with us wherever we go. Just like a crown, it also makes us more eye-catching. As a child growing up my mother always reminds me to take extra care of my hair, for she said that a girl becomes more beautiful by the way she takes care of her hair. Which I faithfully do every single day. I wash my hair with mild shampoo and conditioner. I combed my hair as often as possible and put pretty hairclips, hairband and hair bows. Most importantly I seldom tie my hair tightly to avoid getting frizz. As a result the people within our neighborhood at all times gives me admiring comments about how my hair looks beautiful. But that was a long time ago, by now my long silky straight hair is gone. What I have right now is a shoulder length frizzy hair with a massive amount of split ends and a number of white strand hair.

Going back to the title of this article “our crowning glory”. Aside from our hair being our crowning glory, I also believe that our hair is a reflection of ourselves. The length, shape, style and color of our hair symbolizes who we are and makes us exceptional from each other. The way we take care of our hair somewhat gives people hint of how we have been or what we are going through. Cutting our hair, gives people an impression that we are going through something or we just wanted to make ourselves look and feel better. Just like how someone cuts her hair too short as a way to deal with despair and heartache or how someone gives herself a new hairstyle as a way to make herself more confident, beautiful and happier. Giving our hair a new color and style, gives people an impression that we are either unrestrained, open-minded, free, or bold. Moreover as our hair turns grey or white, it could represent wisdom and be a sign of how old we are. A friend of mine also told me, our hair shows how we truly feel. Such as a messy hair might indicate that we are having a rough day or we might be burden by a number of difficulties. A well taken care hair might indicate that we are either happy, in love or nonchalant. Furthermore I had also read from an article way back then, that we can tell if we are feeling under the weather or in poor health by our hair. If we often have too many hair falls it could either point out that we are too stress and our present lifestyle is unhealthy for us. Which could greatly affect our physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. I had also seen on a television show, that our hair cuttings could bring hope, encouragement and joy to others. For our hair cuttings can be used to make hair wigs, which can be used by other people who had lost their hair due to an illness, therapy, treatment and consumption of medicine.

People also attach varied symbolisms on our crowning glory. Such as on the history books, people of the past attach important symbolism on the women’s hair. Taken for example the women’s hair symbolizes femininity, Identity, liberation, freedom and beauty. On the other hand people also attach varied stereotypes on our hair. Taken for example here in our country, a long straight hair signifies beauty and gracefulness. Just like what the local media portrays on shampoo and hair-treatment advertisements. While a short curly hair signifies ugliness and misfortunes, which had lead towards other curly-haired people being a laughingstock and subject of mistreatment in some occurrences. Which I find upsetting. Though our beliefs and upbringing had affected our view on certain matters such as our hair. But still I would like to emphasize that every hair is beautiful. It does not mean that your hair’s length, shape, style and color differs from the rest does not imply that you are ugly or should be a subject of mistreatment. Way back then I only praise and appreciate people with long straight hair. However as I grow and encounter a diverse number of individuals, my idea of how beauty should be had changed. I started to praise and appreciate everyone’s crowning glory. That every length, shape, style and color of hair are beautiful. I had also started to respect everyone’s preference on how they take care of their hair. Though it is nice to let your hair grow the way it is, but if it makes you more happy and confident to try something new on your hair then be it.

Our crowning glory is more than just an attachment or decoration. It serves more than that. It makes us happy, confident, unique and beautiful. As well as it is a reflection of ourselves. Thus we should take care of our hair very well as we take care of ourselves.

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