Connie
Well-Known Member
While reading the threads from the ladies who went back to relaxing, I read each post, searching for one who would accuse them of "giving in to white people's standards of beauty" (as is often suggested on "other" boards) or harshly criticize them for their choice, accusing them of self-hate. But not one of you did this, and I was very impressed with the love, respect and admiration shown. That's true sisterlove, and it's sad that I don't see this kind of respect shown toward sisters' hair choices on other boards.
Reading the thread also has made me feel sooooo much better about my own decision to reconsider going natural--for now--because the more natural new growth I got, the more realities I had to face. I never took the time to work with my relaxed hair as far as grooming or styling (I always wore in a ponytail--being lazy). And if I have to work at being patient with my relaxed hair, where on earth would I get the patience for my natural hair? /images/graemlins/perplexed.gif
The truth is, I didn't do all I could to maintain it's health in the way properly conditioning and moisturizing it. These boards have made me realize that perhaps if I had taken the time to become more knowledgeable about different types of hair products, I wouldn't suffer breakage and thinning. In recent years, I started taking too much time in between touchups and not doing enough in the way of good hair care. My diet was a culprit too. Fortunately for me, I have just enough hair growth that I could just chalk it up to stretching my relaxer a bit. When I go natural, I want to be sure that I'm willing to keep it that way or am ready to deal with pressing it, and my thickening new growth has made me realize that perhaps it's not for me right now. I don't want to cut it short and I would truly miss my longer straight hair, and I LIKE long, straight hair and I don't feel I should apologize for that.
I'm glad to have found a board where I can decide not to go natural and not get browbeaten into staying natural or judged harshly for relaxing.
Reading the thread also has made me feel sooooo much better about my own decision to reconsider going natural--for now--because the more natural new growth I got, the more realities I had to face. I never took the time to work with my relaxed hair as far as grooming or styling (I always wore in a ponytail--being lazy). And if I have to work at being patient with my relaxed hair, where on earth would I get the patience for my natural hair? /images/graemlins/perplexed.gif
The truth is, I didn't do all I could to maintain it's health in the way properly conditioning and moisturizing it. These boards have made me realize that perhaps if I had taken the time to become more knowledgeable about different types of hair products, I wouldn't suffer breakage and thinning. In recent years, I started taking too much time in between touchups and not doing enough in the way of good hair care. My diet was a culprit too. Fortunately for me, I have just enough hair growth that I could just chalk it up to stretching my relaxer a bit. When I go natural, I want to be sure that I'm willing to keep it that way or am ready to deal with pressing it, and my thickening new growth has made me realize that perhaps it's not for me right now. I don't want to cut it short and I would truly miss my longer straight hair, and I LIKE long, straight hair and I don't feel I should apologize for that.
I'm glad to have found a board where I can decide not to go natural and not get browbeaten into staying natural or judged harshly for relaxing.
