What Relaxers Have Prevented

Relaxers have prevented so many women from truly enjoying life and what it has to offer. Many women don’t like getting in the water at a pool party because “Girl, I just got my relaxer in!” Men have been trained not to caress their woman’s hair because “Honey, don’t mess up my hair, I just got it done.” Even we have been deprived of a good nights sleep because we didn’t want to mess up our hair *cue movie scene with Regina King trying to sleep and at the same time not mess up her new do*. How many times have you told your partner these things, had a horrible night of sleep, or just looked cute in your bathing suit……..outside of the pool? Since cutting off my relaxed hair and embracing my natural hair I have been able to take a shower without the fear of messing up my tresses. I can literally stand underneath the shower head instead of playing dodge ball with it! The shower head is no longer my enemy and steam is a welcomed friend. Sleep is amazing and as far as the pool is concerned, maybe now I will learn how to swim (yes, the relaxer prevented this too). I will say that when I had my relaxer, I always did my best to make sure my hair was healthy and full of life. Now that I have been natural for a full 2 weeks and 3 days I am learning what it means to really have healthy hair. Water is now my homey and sometimes my lifesaver and I can honestly say I wish I would have done this many years ago. When a natural says she feels free, I am sure she is speaking to one of these points. ;-)