Hair

So, 2 (almost 3!) weeks ago I did something I've been planning on doing for over a year.
And I was excited.
I couldn't wait to document it.

Yet tomorrow marks three weeks since the big chop  - and I haven't written a blessed thing.

Because I feel ridiculous.

Yes, I cut my hair.

Almost all of it.

Completely off.

And I donated it to Locks of Love.

(That's 11.5 inches people!)

What I didn't expect was the amount of commentary my dumb hair would garner.

First - a warning:
If EVER you go and chop all your hair off - know that ALL of humanity will have an opinion about it. People you may not remember ever seeing before will come up and comment on if they like it or if they don't, request a reason for such a change, and basically tell you all sorts of interesting things.

Like the MOST awkward compliment (?) I've ever received in my life:

Wow! When your hair was long I had no idea you were so pretty!

Thanks?

My husband teases me that sometimes I look like Justin Bieber, or Pink, or K.D. Lang. Which is fine...to a point. Thankfully, he's dialed it back a bit, so the world is balanced again.  :)

I have gotten many of the same questions regarding "The Big Chop,"  so I thought I could just answer them publicly here:

1. My hubby DOES like it. He was very supportive of the chop - I would have never cut it if he wasn't!
2. 3 of the Beans LOVED it immediately.
3. String Bean was the wild card - she ran away crying and hid from me because she hated it so much.
4. HOWEVER - now both String Bean and Jumping Bean want to grow their hair out to donate!
5. Yes, I will save loads of money on shampoo and conditioner.

The reason this feels ridiculous though, is because I was donating my hair in honor of 2 amazing women I am privileged to know.

One is a woman who always smiles, she encourages others in every way possible. She is a mama of two - and a friend to many. She is a woman I would be happy to be like.  She found out she had cancer Labor Day weekend this past year.

The other is a woman who passed away this afternoon after battling cancer for the last year. She leaves behind a devoted husband, five young children, and countless people who were privileged to know her.

Cutting my hair to honor such great women as Lisa and Julie - that was easy. 

A couple people called the cutting of my hair a brave thing to do. 

I would wholeheartedly disagree.

Being a child seeing your parent fight cancer - being a parent watching your child fight cancer - gripping to hope in the hospital rooms, in the doctor's appointments, through the chemo, the radiation, the tests, the waiting, the unknown -
That is courageous.
THAT is bravery.

All I did was cut my hair.

I cut my hair to honor TRUE bravery. 

To honor life-changing courage.

It isn't much to do - but it is what I've got.

I wish I had more to give - I wish I could ease the fear and the ache and the lonely places that cancer leaves behind. But I can't.

All I can do is keep answering people with the truth of where all my hair went -

To hopefully give brave children comfort in their battle.
Battle on.

~Whitney
 Copyright 2013