The Hair Analogy

As a child, Disney gave me some unrealistic expectations in regards to hair. I was never satisfied with my own hair. I wanted it to be Aurora-curly, Belle-brown, Ariel-long, and look as fantastic as Pocahontas' hair in the wind.

Amazing what her hair can do with a minimum amount of product.

I grew my hair long and the color turned out alright (Anne Shirley auburn, if you ask me). However, no matter how often I wished on a star, my hair never became curly. Guys, I eventually resorted to eating the crusts off my sandwiches!*

* Recent discussions have informed me that apparently not everyone grew up being told that eating bread crusts makes your hair curly. So here's your daily dose of folklore!

If I was Aurora, I would spend hours just whipping my hair to and fro. It's so BOUNCY!

After years of using lame hair products, curling irons, and one ridiculously bad perm, I accepted my fate. I have come to love my hair, and when I'm lucky, I even get to enjoy the occasional curly hair day.

Another important thing to know about my hair is that when little strands of it are exposed to rain, the beach, or a pool, I have a halo of Felicity-style curls. It's pretty much AWESOME.

See the itsy bitsy curls?

(Alright, alright, I'll start getting to the point!) So last week, after taking a jog in the rain and returning with a couple tendrils sticking out here in there, I got it in my head that maybe, under the proper conditions, the rest of my hair would just magically curl itself. I popped in the shower and helped myself to my younger sister's curly hair formula shampoo and conditioner. And you know what happened?

Absolutely nothing.

Mainly it just made my hair less shiny than usual, which made me kind of sad. Talk about a failed experiment! Now, for the analogy part of this post!

While I was trying to salvage my tired-looking locks, I came to the realization that I treat my writing a lot like I do my hair. I'm always wishing for it to be curly --- i.e., to be poetic and be perfect right off the bat. I'm constantly fighting any straight and/or wavy tendencies. I have to learn to see the beauty in the writing voice that I do have... and to appreciate the occasional curl that comes my way.

Anyone else fighting their natural voice, or their natural hair?