An unexpected shedding

I feel like a new woman today. Actually, I feel like a stranger woman today. Every time I look in the mirror, it takes me an extra moment to recognize myself.

What happened? I had my hair cut today. I do this once every ~3 years. That's how long it takes my hair to grow 9-12 inches, and then I cut off a long braid to donate. I have donated 5 braids in total to make a wig for a cancer patient.

But my hair has been thinning and graying the last couple of years, so I didn't think it would make a braid worthy of donation. I asked the stylist to cut off 5-6 inches, enough to remove the ragged ends and leave what is mostly still healthy. Instead, she cut off more than 12 inches. This morning my hair dropped down past my waist, and this evening it skims my shoulders.

When I swing my head, my hair swings with it - how odd. I feel my hair touching the tops of my shoulders - very strange. And my back feels bare - rather weird.

But I feel a little more "normal". I've read that women my age shouldn't have very long hair. When someone remarks on my hair, I usually say that I think of it as a renewable resource, and then explain that I grow to donate it. Now that I'm too gray to donate, I guess I should act/look my age and have a coiffe.

The kid has been kind enough to tell me that she likes my new "do". She says I look "elegant" now. The two men in my life are too clueless to notice or say anything. I know it's silly, but the bounce in my hair gave me a little bounce in my step this afternoon. Now let's see how I feel in the cold reality of tomorrow morning!