Saturday, February 3, 2007

pride and predjudice


It has been a few weeks since I last posted to my blog and I have a few things to say about my encounters and accomplishments since being locked. First, I have to say that I am soooo in love with my hair. This is really a dream come true for me. I don't mind the little things I have to do to my little locks. I washed and curled my hair all by myself two days ago and that is a big thing for me, because in my relaxer days when straight hair was supposed to be so easy to style, I never cared to roll, blow dry, or even sit under a dryer to style my hair. Not to mention using a curling iron everyday. I guess it was because I knew it would have to be done again the next day and the fact that I really didn't know how to make my hair look good. Now, my hair just looks good all by itself. Of course there are a few of us who just don't understand the beauty and freedom of natural hair. You know. The ones who are ashamed of being who they really are and what God has given them. The sisters who hide behind perms, weaves, and other things just so they can impress the other races or even the brothers who go for that long straight hair. Little do they realize those same brothers know weave when they see it. I have found that more white people take notice of my natural hair and make very positive comments about my locks. Oh yes, my people take notice too. I have had a handful of positive comments from sistas, negative stares, and even one that laughed and pointed. I quickly educated her on what I was styling. Just so happened I had a sisterlock magazine with me that my sister had recently mailed to me. I kindly showed her the pictures and said to her,"You laughing at my hair now, you won't be laughing when my hair looks like this a few months from now." She looked at the pictures and didn't know what to say. I am so proud of my natural self. I have never felt so comfortable with myself. Since then, I have recruited a few sistas who are just waiting to get enough new growth to be locked. Now that's what I call conquering prejudice with pride. Its just a shame the prejudice has to be within our own race.

10 comments:

Mel said...

Lovely post! Your hair is looking wonderful; I am so pleased you are enjoying the journey.

C & C said...

freedom and versitility is such a beautiful thing. not until we experience it for ourselves can a person understand the independence and pride we feel being sisterlocked. this revolution is catching on. peace

Creyole said...

Hey there, you are doing a great job caring for your locks! Those locks of wisdom (grey) are just looking awesome!

Goodnapps said...

I feel you on this post Dee. The majority of the backlash we see right now is coming from our own folks and I just don't understand it. But I see you are going to be a fine trooper and educator. Looking good lady.

Anonymous said...

Your hair is looking good!!!

I get more compliments from people of other races as well and it just seems odd. It's as if the permed sistahs think we think we're better then they are when that's so far from the case.

There's not a time I'm around permed sistahs who say they couldn't "get away with" locks or natural hair...WHAT? Either they don't have the face or the length or the texture or some other off reason and it amazes me. How can you look awful with your natural hair?

Have you ever gotten a mean stare from a permed sistah with a locked man??? It always makes me laugh!!!!

I know I'm digressing but your hair is progressing wonderfully!

Unknown said...

You look absolutely BEAUTIFUL and totally at peace Mrs Dee... keep loving the journey..(((HUGS)))..
....just me...daez

Abena Abena said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Abena Abena said...

Thank you for sharing your heart. I am always interested in what other locked women are experiencing.

I think the beauty of Sisterlocks is we all have our own unique beauty because I have yet to see any two women whose hair looks identical :)

Anonymous said...

Hi there Mrs.Dee! I didn't know you had a blog and I am glad that I found it. You are definitely doing a great job caring for you locks and I become even more proud reading you post and how strong and happy your are with your new found hair freedom.

Thanks for sharing!

Sis. RJQueen10 said...

Mrs. Dee,

I love your sister Creyole! She is such an inspiration! I’m glad I took a detour in blog readings and ventured over to your site. You are expressing my feelings completely. Today, I saw your sister in aerobics class. She was not there when I got there, but I was all prepared waiting for her to take pictures of me to post on my blog at RJQueen10.blogspot.com. So in a earlier e-mail I told her I would be wearing my afro.

Well, I strutted confidently into class for the first time wearing my natural hair. Then I could not contain myself. Since class was late starting, many ladies were already there sitting around waiting for our instructor and class to start. I said hey everybody do you see my hair. Many gave positive comments and some were silent. I started singing about how free I feel. I hardly heard anyone as I told them I am going to get Sisterlocks™ real soon like the ones Creyole sports.

Some began relate, by making comments about do I know such an such wear her hair natural and other ladies they know in class who wear their hair natural. Eventually with both Creyole and RJQueen10 in class being free to be natural they will want to make the change. It is personal and it is a process (like all healings that don’t come directly from Jesus Christ and God Himself. The bible declares that whenever Jesus healed, the miracle was immediate, instantaneous.)

In aerobics class, I told them not to laugh if my afro shrunk up by the end of class. I was really surprised that it did not shrink up after sweating up a storm for a little over 1 hour and then taking a hot shower afterward. I sweat so hard, that even by the time Creyole came into the dressing room (I left class 15 minutes early to shower etc.) I could not stop my body from sweating. However, my hair performed “exceedingly and abundantly” above all of my expectations and without shrinkage. (Hopefully if Creyole gets an opportunity to e-mail me the photos- I will post them tomorrow).

You keep doing what you are doing, because you are doing it well. Your blog site is already an Anointed inspiration. I love how you express your relationship with Jesus and how you give praises and glory to God. Awesome!

I am a long-winded writer, especially when I am excited about something—like Sisterlocks™. However, I am going to force myself to be concise and end.

Sis. RJQueen10