Give me a head with hair

Okay, I admit that I'm in a silly mood tonight and I noticed that my blog needed some attention. I thought you could all use a break from the usual soul-searching narrative of a former cancer patient.

So, I decided to talk about my hair.

IT'S GROWING BACK!!! AND I'M SO EXCITED!!! AND THANKFUL!!!

I really think everyone should experience being humbled by losing their hair so that they can also experience the wonder and JOY of having it grow back! Once you've been bald, you really appreciate your hair (and eyebrows and eyelashes).

You know it's true that hair doesn't define a person (we all know that), but it's really interesting how much of our identity it is.

Losing my hair was a bit difficult, but it was mostly the anticipation of losing it that was the worst. It just seems so . . . ABNORMAL to have your hair fall out. Like something's rotten in the state of Denmark and all that.

What I didn't anticipate was how much joy and happiness I would get from having my hair grow back, even if it's different (it is) and even if it looks wild and crazy (it does).

With the recent hot spell (yes, in Washington!), I can hardly wait to come home and remove my wig so I can be free and cool. I constantly find myself running my fingers through my hair without realizing what I'm doing. My daughter told me that I remind her of a cat giving itself a bath (wha?).

I'm downright giddy with excitement to feel hair on my head (the leg hair I could have done without, but oh well . . . ). When I'm showering, I find that I'm repeatedly whispering a prayer of thanksgiving to God for my hair. Who knew that I would be so grateful for something so ordinary?

It kind of sticks out every which way. My husband described it best. Tonight he said, "It looks like a bad perm." I wasn't insulted--I just laughed. It's true!

The really strange thing is that I have this streak of gray growing back right at the top of my forehead where my cowlick is (it's still there, unfortunately). Gary says that I look like Rogue from X-Men and that I'd better not color it. We'll see!

So I'm still wearing a wig (blonde) and my hair is coming back quite dark with a smattering of gray throughout. I think I'll be wearing a wig for quite awhile longer because my hair is very unruly at the moment (Thank you, Raquel Welch, for caring about us little people.)

So people, if you catch yourself complaining about not being able to do anything with your hair or having a bad hair day, think of what it would be like to not have it there. Be thankful!

HAIR ROCKS!!!

And now, for a blast from the past and the perfect anthem to celebrate the return of my hair, please take a look at this video. You oldsters should appreciate this song (lyrics below).

Gimme head with hair
Long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming,
Streaming, flaxen, waxen

Give me down to there hair
Shoulder length or longer
Here baby, there mama
Everywhere daddy daddy

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair

Let it fly in the breeze
And get caught in the trees
Give a home to the fleas in my hair
A home for fleas
A hive for bees
A nest for birds
There ain't no words
For the beauty, the splendor, the wonder
Of my...

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair

I want it long, straight, curly, fuzzy
Snaggy, shaggy, ratty, matty
Oily, greasy, fleecy
Shining, gleaming, streaming
Flaxen, waxen
Knotted, polka-dotted
Twisted, beaded, braided
Powdered, flowered, and confettied
Bangled, tangled, spangled, and spaghettied!

Oh say can you see
My eyes if you can
Then my hair's too short

Down to here
Down to there
Down to where
It stops by itself

They'll be ga ga at the go go
When they see me in my toga
My toga made of blond
Brilliantined
Biblical hair

My hair like Jesus wore it
Hallelujah I adore it
Hallelujah Mary loved her son
Why don't my mother love me?

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair