I really did mean to write about Dry Shampoo’s today, that tale will have to wait until another day. I had an experience this week that I felt needed to be shared. I know, “where are the beauty tips oh guru of products?” is what you are thinking. Bear with me my lovelies, those tales will be told, today I have another tale to tell.

I hear the familiar chirp of the door chime and look up to see a Mom and her daughter. The daughter looked lost and the Mom looked exhausted and distraught, and they were standing in front of the hair color. I wandered over and asked if they needed a hand. The daughter, a pretty girl of 15 who didn’t realize how pretty she was told me she wanted to change her hair color. She had been coloring it black and thought she should lighten it up. I told her it would be best not to attempt to do it herself and told her the potential outcomes of doing so. The poor thing, her eyes welled up and her lip started to quiver. I asked her if she was okay and if she had anything else to ask. She just stared at me. I said “Oh honey, you look like you need to say something. Ask me anything, there are no stupid questions.”, to which she began to tell me that she liked her hair but felt like it was wrong and didn’t know what to think or what to do or what to like. Memories of 15 year old anguish flooded my mind. We have all been that girl and it is not fun. I told her that if she liked her hair, that was okay. That she looked great with that hair color and not to worry about what others think or say. I told her that I couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be for young women today because I remember how much being 15 sucked.(Yes, I said sucked – I am hip to today’s jive.). She began to smile. Then I said “Honey, people are gonna talk no matter what. There are people that no matter what you do it won’t be good enough. I am sure that back in Jesus’s day people thought he didn’t turn water into wine fast enough” to which she laughed out loud. After talking a little longer, she left with a smile and a spring in her step and our card if she felt like making an appointment because she wanted one. As they walked out the door the Mom mouthed thank you.

It’s been a few days since I met her yet I can’t stop thinking of her. We have all been that girl. Hell, I have been that girl. Unsure of myself, wondering what is wrong with me – why can’t I be like everyone else? So many women and a few gents have become visually impaired – we cannot see the beauty that is within us or the beauty in our reflection because we decided to listen to everyone else’s opinions, not our own. I am here to tell you, like I told that girl – you are awesome just as you are. Be what you want, dye your hair whatever color you want, paint your nails electric neon yellow (like yours truly). Listen to yourself, the answers are there waiting to be uncovered. You know what you want. It is okay to know what you want and refuse to settle for anything less.

We have all been that girl, now it is time to help that girl. See her. Raise her up. Celebrate her.