TiaBentivegna

Ms.Gardner

English10,Period2

15January2015

ReflectiveEssay:Hair

Youhavegorgeoushair,saidBrenda,myhairstylist,untyingthetightlywaddedponytail

claspingmyhairatthecrownofmyheadandbeginningtofingercombthroughtheallofit.Itisa

goodtexture,nottoothick,butthereisalotofit!

Ismiledandsaidthankyouasshecontinuedtorunherfingersthrougheachtangleuntilshe

reachedtheendofthestrands.IalmostmentionedtoherhowharditistobelievethatIevenhavethe

amountofhairIhavenowgiventhefactthatittookmeabouttwoandahalfyearstogrowasingle

curl.Ohyes,watchingmycousin,whosthesameageasme,haveflowinglocksofthick,

shoulderlengthhairatage2whileIcouldbarelymanagetogrowonestrandwasablast.ClearlyIhad

hairenvyatanearlyage.

ItoldherthecolorsthatIwantedforthehighlightsandshebeganconcoctingdifferent

mixtureswithstrongsmellsandpaintingthemintomyhairasifitwereacanvas.Aftershemovedme

towardsthewashingstationwearIlaymyneckdowninthecreviceofthesinkandwatchedherasshe

turnedonthestiflinghotwaterandlettheexcessdyerinseoutofmyhair.Ilookedupatherattentively

andlistenedassheinstructedmeonhowtomaintainthecolor,avoidfrizz,andkeepmyhairlooking

healthy.Iplannedonfollowingallofherrulesforhaircarehowever,IknewIwouldeventually

forgetornothaveenoughtimetogothrougheachofhersteps.Icouldnotbelievehowmanysteps

therewereinthefirstplaceinordertogetmyhairtolookacertainway.

Therehadtobelessstepsthanthat.IknewIneverperformedallofthosetasksasakid.

Granted,Iwasnothighlightingmyhairasanadolescent,butIwastryingtostylelikeIhadseenin

variousTVshowsandmovies.HowelsewouldIhavebeenaspromptandontimetoschoolandother

activitiesandstillhavemyhairlookasamazingasitdid?Well,okay,maybenoteveryoneadoredthe

manystylesandflairIgavemyhair,butIcertainlylovedit.FromHannahMontanasMileyStewart

andhercutebrownpigtailsandsideponytails,totheWizardsofWaverlyPlacesAlexRussoandher

signaturebarrettewhichclippedherfrontpiecesofhairback,andeven,asmyfatherwouldcallit,the

Lilithastern,highstrungwomanfromanoldershowcalledCheersponytail.Thosewereonlya

fewofthemanyhairstylesandactressesItriedtoembracethroughmyhair.Thosewerethemost

significantandmemorableones.

Myparentsdidpartakeinmyjourneyofexploringvarioushairstyles,especiallymymother,

who,unfortunately,wasnotalwaysonmygoodsidewhenitcametodoingmyhair.

UGH!Youareruiningeverything!Takethemout!Thisisnotright,theyarewayoff!The

rightpigtailislikenotevenwiththeleftone,Ishoutedatmymother,whoclearly,didnotunderstand

theaxisofsymmetryonmyheadandwheremypigtailshadtobealigned.

Tia,honey,theylookfine!LookinthemirrorShetriedtorationalize,butknewshewasnot

goingtowinthisargument.

Iamnotlookinginthemirror!Redothem!Iexclaimed,notwantingtoberational.

Undoing,pulling,brushing,andredoingthepigtailsuntilIgavehertheOkayandsealof

approvalintheiralignment,mymotherwentonherway,probablywithalittlelesshairsofherown

duetotheamountofstressIjustputonher.Shockingly,however,shewasalwayspatientwhenitcame

todealingwithmyneuroticexpectations.Thismorethanlikelystemmedfromherbeingthebabyof

threeolderbrothers,whosemotherfeltthatthesignature,DorothyHamillbowlcutwascute,andwas

forcedtowearformostofherearlyyears.

Whatapoorchildhood.

Severalyearsafterthisphaseofperfect,inmymindpoisedpigtailsthatrepresentedmytrue

personality,Igrewintoanewhairstyle.Whilethiswasanewlookforme,itstillrevealedwhoIwasas

apersonandmymanycharacteristics.AsIsaidbefore,myfatherpinneditthename,theLilith

ponytail.Thisreferencedthetelevisioncharacter,LilithSternin,fromthehit80ssitcom,Cheers.My

parentssimplycouldnotwraptheirheadsaroundmyreasoningforhavingaboutfivetosixelastichair

tiesinmyhairforone,singleponytail.Ineededthereassurancethatmyponytailwassecure,

obviously.Imeanwasthatwassohardtobelieve?

Inthemidstofthisslick,sealed,andsturdyponytailphase,myfamilyacquiredheadlice.

Actually,IthinkIcanrephrasethatsentence,everymemberexceptformybaldfatherandIacquired

headlice.Yes,mybrother,sister,andmotherallenduredthejoyfulexperienceofheadlice,whilemy

fatherandIsteeredclearandwatchedchaosentangleitself.NowIknowthismaynotbecompletely

true,buthavingsleptinthesamebedasmyliceinfestedsisterbeforewerealizedshewas

contaminatedwiththoseawfulcreatures,Istillmanagedtocomeoutunscathed?Callmecrazy,butI

thinkmyLilithponytailsavedmeinthishairmess.