The holidays
are almost over, and for me this is the time of year to reflect on what I
accomplished and to set new goals for next year.
Last summer
I wanted a new look so I cut my hair short. I had shed a fur coat from my head and
it felt amazing, but something went missing. I had a few hidden purple streaks
underneath the top layers that could only be seen when I brushed my hair,
quickly moved my head, or ran my finger into my hair. Still, the streaks were there
and my little three-year-old granddaughter loved playing in my hair and looking
at the purple. After it was gone, she kept asking “Where’s the purple, grand-maman?” –
“When are you going to put more purple in your hair, grand-maman?”
I toyed
with the idea for months, I browsed through hair pictures, then one day I
stumbled onto a woman with short purple and blue hair. I reminded me of the northern
lights. It was gorgeous...and daring. I showed the picture of the woman to my
granddaughter. She loved the blue with the purple, so mid-December, I told my
hairdresser to work her magic. The pic is me. The new “daring” me.
People’s
reactions were across the spectrum. “You’re brave” – “I want hair
like yours” – “Why? But why?” – “You’re
bold” – “I love it” – “It’s pretty” – “Wow...” (Many different nuances of wow) – “Don’t worry, your hair will grow back” (I don't want it to grow back...) – “How
long is that going to last?” (Hopefully many many months) – “Don’t let my wife see you or she’ll do it too” –
“It’s your hair” – “It looks better than I thought it would”
When I go
out, some strangers stare silently while others stop me in the store or the street
to say they like my hair then they start talking to me about other things. It’s
fascinating because I’m still me but some people’s perception has changed. So
how do I feel about this?
Well... I like my hair and so does my little granddaughter.
Do someone
people think I’m weird? Probably, but in all fairness, I am weird. I write
mystery novels and I kill at least one person per book. It does qualify as
weird, but deep down, I’m the same person I have always been. Still, I got to
interact with lots of new people because I dared color my hair purple and blue.
The point
is you never know what’s waiting for you around that daring corner. You may
have written a novel but you’re hesitant to submit it because you’re afraid people
won’t like it. It’s true that not everybody likes every book—not everybody
likes my novels and I don’t like every novel that was ever written—but if you
like your book and it makes one person smile, cry, or stay up late at night to
finish a chapter, then it’s worth it. Don’t be afraid to try because you’re
afraid of what people might think.
Be daring, be bold, but never forget to be yourself!
Happy 2018!
JS Marlo
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