...but it's actually a lesson. In the value of persistence. Perseverance. In the mantra of if-at-first-you-don't-succeed.

I used to think that I couldn't grow my hair long. After getting it cut from mid-back to shoulder length the summer before 6th grade, all subsequent attempts to grow it out were too puffy, too flat, or just not right. I decided I was a short-haired girl for the duration.

Then in the summer of 2004 I decided to give it one more go. This time I didn't give up as soon as it started looking weird. I hung on through the odd bits that wouldn't lay down flat, the days that it just seemed to hang there. I made a deal with myself to let it grow. To not give up. To get trims, style, and color as needed, but not to go back to my short hair comfort zone for at least one year. As anyone who talked to me (last summer especially) knows, I almost caved in and chopped it off many many times. But something always stopped me. And I think it was a desire to stop going for the "easiest side of the easy". Hair seems like a ridiculous thing to learn from, but by letting it grow I think I might have grown a little too. In patience, consistency, and steadiness.

Who knew all of that was in my head?