“Wow! Who’s that girl in the mirror?” I exclaimed, taking in my own reflection. The woman looking back at me was a woman I hadn’t seen in quite a number of years. Not much had changed about her from her from the light brown color of her eyes to the slope of her nose, even the seasonal discoloration of her skin along her hairline. What had changed, however, was the length and thickness of loose tresses that had been neatly locked up for the last four years. Her imminent return was like that of a returning soldier from combat. You knew the cause of their absence was a worthy one but still you worried if you’d ever see them again. And when you do, it’s like, “Thank God!”

That’s pretty much how I felt seeing the result of straightening my hair. After all, isn’t a head of long, healthy hair the ultimate goal of most naturals? Whether rocking it curly or straight?