I gotta new ‘do, looking pretty cute these days, smelling myself as some of my elders used to say. I am hopping out of bed with more energy, playing in my closet, thumbing through textures and colors to create my regalia for the day. It may sound like a simple thing. Some folk feel that way most of the time, but for me, it had been a while.
I had locks in my hair for 14 years. I loved them, and they loved me back. Twice they grew to be more than two feet long and gracefully swept my tailbone. I started them myself. I groomed them myself. I cut them myself. I released them myself. No one else had done my hair for over 14 years. And then...
I cut them myself.
But it did not work quite like I had planned. No matter what I did (gel, pins, buns, updo, wash and go), I just couldn’t get the look and feel that I wanted. I found myself avoiding the mirror and many things in my closet because I just couldn’t get it quite right.
Finally, I asked for help. I called my sister-in-law and entrusted the next phase of my look to her. She worked her magic! It was much shorter than I wanted, but I was beaming when I looked in that mirror!
Just this weekend, I called her to thank her and let her know how good I was feeling, how energized I felt, and how tickled I am every time I look in the mirror. I wanted her to know how much she had blessed me just for the asking... She thanked me for taking the time to call her and make her day.
Even though it was over the phone, it was a quiet, sacred moment between sisters to acknowledge how beautiful, how magical we are and how sometimes we need help to be our best selves, how sharing makes all the difference in life, all the difference in the world.
But this is not really about hair. It’s a testimonial about “testifying.”
Elders in the church used to take a moment in the earlier devotional part of the service to share their testimonies about the good news of the week. Some would sing. Others would share stories. Some could hardly speak for the gratitude pouring from their eyes. Some churches still leave room for “testifying.”
Why don’t we do that more often with each other? We encounter kindnesses and blessings on a daily basis most often through the heart and hands of another. Even miracles happen from time to time because of someone who chooses to be a part of “the blessing business” lending a helping hand or sharing his/her time and energy when it is not his/her responsibility at all, simple random acts of compassion and kindness for life’s sake.
How often do we stop and “testify,” share our gratitude with someone up close and personal? Sharing our gratitude uplifts us. We do it for companies and products all the time but not as often for each other. We may think to share a blessing with family, friends, or coworkers but what about sharing with the person who helped make the moment possible? Why don’t we let that person know? If we do, maybe someone will give a little more, shine a little brighter...
I called my sister this weekend. Who you gonna call?
As always,
Be Joyful,
Be Creative,
Be Inspired,
Tamara