Cut, Color, Create

My pitch-black hair was the muse of the day; long black locks that framed my petite face were the center of my attention. Having turned seventeen this year, I was anxious yet excited to get a hair makeover; it was a big deal for me to take a step away from the mundane as I had never fully dyed my velvety black hair. "The Hair Room" was eloquently styled with a vibrant mix of furnishings adorned with African art. The aroma of the dark Kenyan coffee swirled around the room and set the ambiance while the mellow reggae music resonated in the background. To soothe my anxiety, I looked around; my eyes fell on the three bold words painted on the brick wall: "Cut, Color, Create."

Hands started to grab parts of my hair, and I felt the fingers that slipped through them slowly like a comb. A bright blue head wrap and the dress caught my attention. Grace Njeri, my hairstylist, walked into the room and greeted me with an infectious smile. Little did I know that in those two precious hours, Njeri would become my friend and one that would impart to me wisdom that would become my credo for life.

Just one conversation with her opened my eyes to the different perspectives of life and the importance of perseverance. While thinking about the words on the wall, it dawned on me that for a new look, all that a hairdresser needs to do is follow the three C's. Njeri followed those exact steps; I asked her, "Is it really that simple?" Njeri politely responded with a pensive smile, "When I'm done, tell me what you think."

On that cold, gloomy day, Njeri began with step one: cut. As she cut snippets of my hair, we began to converse about the peer pressures we all face during the different stages of life. She spoke about how one must cut out all the failures and negativity and focus on the important aspects of one's life – your goals. When Njeri was in high school, she followed her passion for hairdressing, and her perseverance made me reflect on my past and how some of my "failures" were the turning points in my life.

Step two began with dyeing my hair: color. Njeri spoke about art and how it is the perfect metaphor as a semblance to our personal lives – like how every shade of color signifies a well-told story in the painting of life. "We all begin life with a clean slate, and it is our experience that adds color to the canvas of life", said Njeri. As she applied a mixture of formula on hair with a thick brush, I pondered and was inspired by Njeri's words. As an avid artist with an unquenchable love for colors, and started to recall when I became a part of the National Honor Society (NHS) and Vice-Chairman for the Student Leadership Team (SLT) in High School. These experiences allowed me to explore opportunities to work and serve others while sharing the act of gratitude. For example, some activities included painting classrooms in rural schools and serving lunch to school kids, all humbling experiences that were a true manifestation of color in my life.

Step three: create. Once Njeri removed the thin crisp pieces of foil from my hair through the process of hair dyeing, she transformed my pitch-black hair into a burnt mocha color. I was ecstatic - I loved what Njeri had created! This simple hairdressing touch of changing my hair color was symbolic of the importance of unrelenting perseverance and determination carved out of my failures to create a positive difference in society.

This was not just the regular hair appointment; this time, I recognized and will always remember to create from my failures in order to move forward.

To this day, this was one of the most insightful conversations, and her words reminded me of what the late Steve Jobs once said: "The only way to do great work is to love what you do." It has made me contemplate more deeply about these three tenets of life: cut, color, and create, and how with every experience in life, I can make a positive difference in society.

Photograph of Alex Gruber, Unsplash

Citations

“A Quote by Steve Jobs.” Goodreads, Goodreads, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/772887-the-only-way-to-do-great-work-is-to-love.