Well, actually….it’s my LOCIVERSARY. Whoo-hoo!

Today is my 1-year “lociversary”. Hard to believe it’s been a year since I gave Ms. A the go-ahead to ‘loc’ it up. Ha! If you could have been in the salon pre-loc days and heard them trying to convert me. Priceless. LOL

I’m not sure what convinced me to finally give up my “Freedom Hair” as a friend put it. I’d been chemical-free since 2001 and normally wore my hair in coils which pretty much looks like ‘baby locs’. But I’d ‘uncoil’ them once a month and rock this crazy curly ‘fro for a few days or let it dry and wear a teeny weeny afro. When I did the curly ‘fro, people seemed to be surprised by how much hair I had. Imagine their faces if I’d actually done a hard press. Ha!

What took me so long to cross over into “loc land”? Hmmm…the thought of losing a little bit of freedom. Yeah, yeah, yeah…I know you can style locs — you can curl them, braid them, pin them up, etc. but there are some things you CAN’T do with them. I’ve always liked locs. On other people. I just wasn’t sure I would like them on me.

Ohhhhhh was I wrong. LOL Matter of fact, I cannot WAIT for them to get longer so I can style them. I’d love for my hair to be thicker but you work with what you got, right?

I know a lot of people start their locs with ‘the big chop’ — cutting their hair down (WAY DOWN) in order to get down to the perm-free ‘new growth’. I bypassed that step because I’d been wearing my hair short before I decided to do natural. So my “chop” was more like a “snip”. Even though I’m looking forward to more length, I loved the ‘baby locs’ stage.

I’ve been tempted over the last few months to cut my hair. ALL.THE.WAY.DOWN. Start ALL over. Even considered perming it again. RELAX! (Pardon the pun LOL) - it was only a nanosecond of consideration. Please, please, please do not let that get back to my loctician. Whew!

I’m gonna play it out a little while longer. Besides, I have some hair jewelry that I can’t wait to try out this summer. *giggle*

Naturally,
*~* MsJayye *~*

This song reminds me of the brother with nicest set of locs I’ve seen on a guy in many years…the guy my friends said I was stalking at the Jazz Festival a few years ago. What? I wasn’t stalking him…not intentionally. Apparently we had the same taste in music. I had nothing to do with me hearing those beautiful locs calling out to me, “MsJaaaayyyyyyy…..touch me…..pull my hair….”. ROFL

Um, that happened to be the very same year we were serenaded at midnight in the middle of an Exxon gas station by three very drunk Canadians. LOL

Fun times, ya’ll…fun times. ROFL

Yes, today is my birthday, my born day, my “earth” day, etc.

I have no concrete plans. Well, should I say the planning has been stripped from my hands. I’m about to head off for breakfast followed a couple of hours later by a most decadent massage. Yum! (Note to self: more massages in 2009) Let’s see, then there’s the maincure/pedicure, brow-shaping.

After that, I believe I’m in for a bit of a “road trip”…I just don’t know exactly when we’re leaving or where we’re going (though I do have my suspicions). LOL Nevertheless, I know the end result will be fun, fine & fabulous.

Actually, I’m looking forward to some quiet time. I’m relatively introspective by nature but I become even moreso this time of year as I look back at what the past year was like, what worked (and what worked well), what didn’t work and plan for the year ahead. There is much work to do in the New Year, starting with making myself my #1 priority. I’m stepping up my game health-wise. You heard it here first!

Anywho, I hear the rattle of pans and smell waffles and syrup. I’m out.

Enjoy your day!

I’ll be back to wish you “Happy New Year”. Well, that’s my plan at the moment. But er’ruh, don’t hold it against me if I miss the mark by a few hours…or days. *snicker*

Smooches!

Live DELICIOUSLY!
*~* MsJayy *~*

Butterfly: The Butterfly represents transformation and is a symbol of metamorphosis. The Butterfly represents a need for change and greater freedom to be ourselves … and brings us the gift of Soul Evolution. The Butterfly teaches us about the never-ending cycle and power of our own self-transformation.

It reminds us to stay in the moment and at the same time it represents courage: one requires courage to carry out the changes necessary in the process of ones own growth.

If I told a Caterpillar
that tomorrow
he would be a Butterfly
he would call me a liar!
… old Sufi Saying

******** ******** ******** ********

I love butterflies. If I had to pick something, an image that represented me, I would most likely pick a butterfly. They remind me of freedom, transformation, beauty, femininity, growth, change, power, grace…everything that’s in the words above and then some. Probably even more so today as those things seem to mean more to me. Subconscious goals. My internal “To Do” list…or rather my “To BE” list.

I feel like I’ve been in a cocoon (um, a chrysalis - butterflies develop chrysalis not cocoons - moths spin cocoons) for a while now, awaiting the day I punch my way out of it, unfold my weeks and find myself transformed. Personal metamorphosis. Not a “re-creating” or reinventing of myself. Simply a deeper level of being who I was intended to be, finding myself just that much closer to my soul purpose as designed by the Creator. Transformation – metamorphosis – can take place on many levels in our lives and I’m feeling it in every area. I’m ready. Ready to spread my wings and take flight.

People are always going on about why someone else doesn’t learn XYZ, why they continue to stay in dead-end jobs or bad relationships. I’ve learned that each of us has a journey and we can’t take shortcuts on that journey without stunting our growth. Reminds me of the story of the man who that he was helping the butterfly out by opening the “cocoon” before it was ready and it never really made it to that beautiful butterfly stage. Sometimes we think we’re helping people but we have to be sure that what we see as “help” is what they truly need. I think about the experiences I’ve had in my life and where I am now and I can truly be thankful for each and every one of them. THAT’s growth.

Power. How does that apply to something as delicate as a butterfly? I read somewhere that something as simple as the fluttering of a butterfly’s wings can cause a typhoon halfway around the world. That’s impactful. That’s POWERFUL.

Beauty. Femininity.

There’s a WHOLE ‘nother post in and of its self. I’m not going to delve into the details right now – it’s so deeply personal, it may never make the blog. Just know that, f or the longest time, for many reasons, I fought against my femininity. Don’t get me wrong – no matter what was going on in my life at any given moment, you would know that I was a woman. You just wouldn’t always see, to paraphrase the Sears tagline, “My softer side”. I’m done with that now. Enough is enough. It’s time to stand up, reclaim those curves, and revel in being the beautifully bold, beautifully creative, beautifully grounded, beautifully grace-filled, beautifully human person that I truly am.

Now that’s what FREEDOM is really all about.

Off to shop for a butterfly charm for my necklace. Who knows? Might end up with that butterfly tat after all. Smooches!