Saturday, August 24, 2013

Mermaid Hair

I've been told more than once that I have mermaid hair. As an avid swimmer since I was really young, I guess I always take it as a compliment. I'm not blonde - in fact, I'm quite happy to be a natural redhead - so, it's not like it's referring to the old joke of blonde hair looking green from too much chlorine. Besides, mermaid hair is actually much more about "beachy" hair. It's a bit wavy like ocean waves, very natural, and pretty long. Guess that's me. And I love the quote on the mermaid necklace pictured above (it's from Crafting4Cause) with the quote by Anais Nin on it. I agree with that philosophy as well.

I always have to laugh when women tell me they would have long hair if it wasn't so much work. In reality, I put very little effort into my hair. Most days I don't even dry it. When I do, I dry the top slightly, and leave the back wet to dry naturally during the day. 

On the Free People Blog, they go into more detail about styling more elaborate Mermaid Hair. In their version, it does take more work to create the long curls that flow down your back, along with using varying colors. It looks really beautiful and fun. But, at least for me, part of the attitude of having the long mermaid hair is that it isn't a lot of work. It's down, or in a long braid, or pulled back into a ponytail. It's easy and simple to change for the weather or what I am doing at the time.

And, by the way, I plan on doing this until I'm old and gray. Who cares what people say about it being inappropriate to have long hair when you're older anyway. Never tell a redhead she can't do something...  

In the real scheme of things, I admire women who put more effort into their hairstyles, and I appreciate the work that Free People demonstrates on their blog. But, let's be honest, I am - and will always be - a very low maintenance kind of girl, with a definite dislike of shallow living. I'll take the deep end that you can dive into...and the long, natural, and often wet, hair any day.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Forever Missing Mom

My mother told me once that you never stop missing your mother. My grandmother died when I was fourteen. My mother never stopped wanting to call her, wanting to hear her voice, and thought about her all the time.

In June, my mother would have turned 85. She has been gone for almost three years now. I have never stopped wanting to call her, wanting to hear her voice, and I think about her all the time. This morning I woke up thinking I wanted to give her a call. But the phone doesn't reach that far. If only it did.

She was right. I will never stop missing her. She was one of the sweetest souls I have ever known. She was warm and friendly with everyone, always supported me, and always believed in me - even when no one else did. I miss her laugh most of all, and I remember that even in the hardest of times, her sense of humor carried her through.

She would have loved the job I started in June - in fact, not only is it a direction she wanted me to go in, I think she somehow had a hand in it. And she knew I wanted to write since I was three years old, and she never let that dream die.

It's funny how we always want just a little more time with people we have lost. We love them so much and think if we could just have that extra time...But, we know deep down, no matter how much time we were granted, it would still never be enough.