Reyana’s Hair Journey
Hello, my name is Reyana, I am 24 years old, and my hair journey goes something like this…
In the late fall of 2016, I was in an extremely low place in my life. I felt as though I was my worst self and my self-worth was almost nonexistent. I knew I needed a genuine change if I was to pull myself out of the depression that I had fallen into. For years I had contemplated locing my hair, but I feared the commitment, the unpredictability, and most importantly the transitional (a.k.a. the “ugly”) stage, especially because I’ve never been 100% comfortable with my image to begin with. I was also hesitant because I always wondered, “what if I go through all this and I don’t even like it?”. I genuinely contemplated my decision for about a month before setting my appointment. Come December 2016, I made one of the BEST decisions in the name of acceptance, growth, culture and self-love.
When I first started, I wanted to turn right back around— I couldn’t see the beauty in this transition! However, something inside of me kept screaming not to trust “the” process as most say when trying to encourage those on their loc journey, but to trust “MY” process because no one could get through or rock my locs like I could and would! Allowing myself to be vulnerable to myself and those around me brought the struggle with vanity to the forefront and also revealed something huge; Not only am I capable of beauty, I AM BEAUTIFUL!
With my hair being my main “attraction” , I was able to see the roots of my beauty within the roots of my locs. With the back of my hair locing six months before the front and having to struggle to accept myself in any and all moments where I wouldn’t deem my appearance as “perfect” or presentable, I was able to find satisfaction in the GROWTH instead of the result. I am able to distinguish the two because I’ve come to learn that locs are a journey with no absolute destination and no one journey will look like another. My locs grow with me as do I with my locs. My locs learn about me just as much as I learn about them both individually and as my intimate web. I have certain locs that receive a bit of favoritism just like how a woman’s legs or butt may be her favorite part of herself. My locs are ME. They hold my confidence, my affirmation, my validation, my solitude, my sense of beauty as well as cultural unity not only within myself and my African roots but also with my fellow loc’d brothers and sisters. And finally, my locs are my home. Home is where the heart is and mine beats within my budded ends. Locing my hair not only UNlocked my confidence but was also the KEY to knowing, accepting, and starting on the path to loving who I am; Undeniably and beautifully ME.
