I am black, but comely Solomon 1:5

I started my natural hair journey 8 weeks ago. It has been the most empowering thing I have done for myself. My hair has grown tremendously, and my self-esteem have soared. Today, I was able to twist all of my hair in a two strain twist (something that took a little time and patience). I love the way it looks and how it feels ( I used: Cantu Shea Butter leave in conditioning repair cream on each section before I twisted it). My hair gets really dry, so I am constantly wetting it and putting conditioner on it, but with this style I can leave it alone for a while. Yippee! I feel really really beautiful. I have been bless with some beautiful thick kinky/curly hair. It's a gift from God.

In the Song of Solomon a young shepherdess is describing herself to King Solomon it reads, "I am black, but comely..." what this scripture means to me is that I may have dark complexion, but I am more lovelier than you'll ever know both inside and out. I feel that as an African American woman I have a lot to be thankful for. I shouldn't be ashamed of my hair, my complexion, my ethnicity, or my history. God has been to good to me, and in everything I do I will acknowledge Him. When I started embracing my hair I notice a difference in the way I embraced myself. I started loving me for me. I wasn't hiding behind my silky, shiny, straight hair. I didn't like what relaxers/perms was doing to me and to my hair; it was an addiction and it was damaging my hair and self esteem. I would look in the mirror four weeks after a perm and despise my new growth. Not knowing that it was my glory, and my beautiful African heritage. I have embraced and accepted the fact that God gave this grain of hair to me and nobody can take it away. It's mine and I absolutely love it!

So now, when I look in the mirror I don't long for a perm, I long to learn more about my hair and how to care for it. It's been little over 2 months since I've had a perm, and I can rejoice because I don't need one, ever again! No way Jose! This is me. I can't look like anybody else, not the lady on the perm box, or the one in the magazine. I can only be me and that satisfies my soul. I am not telling every woman in the world to go natural. This is my personal choice, my natural hair journey and testimony. I do want to extend some encouragement to all those who are natural, or those thinking about going natural. My word of advice would be, to learn, laugh, and love the hair you've been blessed with. I'm not looking to prove a point, or make a social statement I'm just embracing a part of me that I have rejected for years. I'm not saying that it has been easy, but I have been free from what held me back for so many years. I believe that in the biblical days those woman were beautiful, and they didn't need chemicals to make them attractive. The bible mention that these women were fair. And one can be fair with all natural hair;)

God bless