In the middle of the global pandemic which has practically brought the entire planet to a standstill, finding the new normal has become an almost daily challenge. Communicating with people, trips to the shops, and exercise have all been made to exist within much tighter boundaries and each of us have had to find our feet amidst the new rules.
But there’s a huge amount in the world which has ground to a halt so despite there being so much of what we all recognise, day to day routine is very different.
My hair, just like everyone else’s, was continuing to grow, seemingly oblivious to the world around me. Day by day, millimetre by millimetre, my hair just blossomed and became far too unkempt. The time eventually came for me to do something about it.
Now I know that a great many people have been forced to resort to the same course of action as I was because a haircut is more than just the act of shortening the ‘do.
We all wear our hair in the way we do because we like how it looks and it can make us feel better about ourselves. It’s an outward display of who we are and how we want to be seen by the world so being forced to forgo the method of control we have on our appearance can be terribly upsetting.
When we walk away from the maestro who’s sculpted and styled our hair, we can feel amazing because we feel sharp, we feel that we look the part. The way we wear our hair affects how the world sees us so when it’s been worked on under our guidance, we end up where we want and present our best self. But take away the cutting and suddenly, that image that we’re presenting begins to decay.
The sharp lines of a tight haircut become more ragged and without trying, the well put together image you want to put forward is starting to fray at the edges. Ends split and styles fall and that can make us feel that the same is happening to us everywhere else.
Maybe that’s part of the reasoning for the protests in the US where people want to flout the lockdown? They can’t express themselves in the way that they want and it’s that lack of personal choice that boils the blood. Any kind of impact we can have feels so badly overdue.
Our hair is a part of our ‘plumage’ to the world and being stuck without the chance to preen can feel uncomfortable but there are always options available should you wish to take them.
Everyone should stay inside and follow the guidance of the experts during these tough times and remember that even though the hair issue is a pain, the COVID issue would be so very much worse. It’s only hair after all.
It will grow back.