The naturalization of my hair

I think going natural was a long time coming. I started styling my hair myself because I lived in a town in Canada where there were no hair salons that catered to black hair. My younger sister, Oghomwen, went natural first. I enjoyed seeing her hair natural and we talked about the many things she could do with her natural hair. Then she asked me "why don't you stop relaxing your hair too?" Huh? I can't go natural!  I told her that natural hair “looks great nice on you but it would look awful on me”. How many of you have said that?
Then for some odd reason, I decided to bleach my hair and then dye it red. Fab idea right? Noooo! The colour did not take and it left my hair limp and dry. Then I thought I should put a perm in so that I could get loose curls. My hair was relaxed, what kind of "loose curls" was I looking for? The perm did not work either and my hair was so damaged that I felt foolish! Reeeeallyyyyy fooooooolish.
So I started braiding my hair again and did so for about a year. At the end of the year, I cut out the relaxed portion of my hair and fell in love with my natural “nappy” hair. It was a discovery for me. I went online to get ideas, tips and “training” on how to care for my natural hair. I found that the natural hair community was very supportive and really well informed about natural hair. I went natural because my hair was suffering from all the damaging chemicals I was applying to my hair. Basically, the chemicals were not working for my hair. That was in 2000 and I have been natural since.
I am still natural today because I can’t imagine going through the PAIN and HORROR of relaxing my hair. Wow! I remember those times of  “relaxing gone wrong” and the scabs on my scalp. Who can forget the many suggestions on what to do so that the relaxer does not hurt? For example, don’t scratch your head before relaxing … (feel free to add your input here). I am also still natural because I understand the damage chemicals can do to my hair and I want to keep my hair healthy. Plus, I enjoy my hair so much now that it is natural. I can’t keep my hands out of my hair – I have the classic “Hand in Fro” syndrome.  I love my hair so much and I am thankful that it is the way it is. It is the way God created it to be – it is perfect!

Omozo