Call me Jo.
I've explained before that I am named after my mom's two favorite literary characters, Meg and Beth from Little Women. I've always identified with this story very much, but really I'm much more like the other two girls, Jo and Amy. Jo, the tomboyish writer and adventurer, Amy the vain flirt and world traveler. I'm ashamed that I remember the movie clearer than the book (which I promise I've read many times!), but I'm sure this scene is in both. But the way it's done in the movie is so perfect...anyway, the family needs money for their mother to travel to be with her ailing husband in a military hospital in Washington, so Jo sells her hair. When she reveals to her sisters what she's done, they gasp, and tactless Amy laments "Your one true beauty!" It's a very emotional scene, cut with that priceless humor.
I feel like my hair has always been my one true beauty, as well. I know it's my best feature by far, and regardless of how I feel about the rest of my appearance, I've always felt pretty great about my hair.
And now I'm thinking of shaving it.
Everyone I've mentioned this to thinks it's a terrible idea, and there's not even any money in it for a train ticket to DC or anything, so why would I do this? Well. A fellow Shantytowner was recently diagnosed with lung cancer and is going through chemo. He is going to try to attend the festival this year, but still doesn't know for sure if he can, because...cancer. His first year was my first year, and I've become close with his entire family. His wife, brother, and daughter have attended most years as well. He had an older daughter who died of cancer at age 9 before his other daughter was born. This family has had enough of this shit. They don't need any more.
Before the bombshell dropped, I'd already arranged for his teenage daughter to cut my hair this year at the fest. She's not a stylist, but she cut Nate's hair a few years ago and it was a success...and if she fucks it up, whatever, I can go to a salon when I get back. I was just going to let her do whatever she wants with it, because I'm indecisive and don't really care; I just want it shorter. But now I'm thinking maybe I'll shave it. Because, fuck cancer. I have wigs. It'll probably grow back. Why not? Okay, plenty of reasons why not. But it's something I'm considering anyway. The folks I've mentioned it to have pretty much been 100% on the side of "fuck no, don't do that," and maybe Stu wouldn't even want me to. But it's true that shit like this puts everything else in perspective. I mean, fuck. It's just hair. I know shaving it won't cure anything. I know we don't really need to do anything to raise awareness. People are plenty aware. I also know I don't need to do anything drastic for my friend to know that I love him. All that said, it just feels like something I want to do. But I still don't know. We'll see.
I feel like my hair has always been my one true beauty, as well. I know it's my best feature by far, and regardless of how I feel about the rest of my appearance, I've always felt pretty great about my hair.
And now I'm thinking of shaving it.
Everyone I've mentioned this to thinks it's a terrible idea, and there's not even any money in it for a train ticket to DC or anything, so why would I do this? Well. A fellow Shantytowner was recently diagnosed with lung cancer and is going through chemo. He is going to try to attend the festival this year, but still doesn't know for sure if he can, because...cancer. His first year was my first year, and I've become close with his entire family. His wife, brother, and daughter have attended most years as well. He had an older daughter who died of cancer at age 9 before his other daughter was born. This family has had enough of this shit. They don't need any more.
Before the bombshell dropped, I'd already arranged for his teenage daughter to cut my hair this year at the fest. She's not a stylist, but she cut Nate's hair a few years ago and it was a success...and if she fucks it up, whatever, I can go to a salon when I get back. I was just going to let her do whatever she wants with it, because I'm indecisive and don't really care; I just want it shorter. But now I'm thinking maybe I'll shave it. Because, fuck cancer. I have wigs. It'll probably grow back. Why not? Okay, plenty of reasons why not. But it's something I'm considering anyway. The folks I've mentioned it to have pretty much been 100% on the side of "fuck no, don't do that," and maybe Stu wouldn't even want me to. But it's true that shit like this puts everything else in perspective. I mean, fuck. It's just hair. I know shaving it won't cure anything. I know we don't really need to do anything to raise awareness. People are plenty aware. I also know I don't need to do anything drastic for my friend to know that I love him. All that said, it just feels like something I want to do. But I still don't know. We'll see.