Learning to Embrace Short Hair

I've been wearing my topper and my full wigs for almost three weeks now, and the confidence I've regained is awesome.  What is NOT awesome is the headaches I've also endured for those three weeks.  Nothing else has changed in my life, so I'm prrreeetty sure it's the helper hair.  It's not that the pieces are tight, it's just that apparently I have a super sensitive head.  Sheesh...Is living with a daily headache worth the return of my self-esteem?  Nope.  Sorry, Paula Young and Wigs.com--I doubt you'll be getting any more money anytime soon.  Instead, I believe it's time for me to focus on embracing a super short cut.

This was me about a year ago.

See that huge smile on my face?  That's not a fake pose for the camera; I was extremely happy with that cut.  I felt free and confident, sensations I hadn't felt in too long of a time.  Then after a couple of months, I decided to let it grow out again.  Why?  Because I want long hair.  In my head, that's who I *think* I'm supposed to be.  But I need to face the hard truth:  my body will no longer support long hair.  It just WON'T.  Oh, I can grow my hair long, but it will look HORRIBLE.  Look how cute and happy I am in that picture!  Why would I do that to myself over and over and over again, make myself miserable by trying to grow long hair??

I've spent so many years trying to defy a social system that believe middle-aged women should cut their hair; that they should not allow their hair to grow beyond shoulder length.  And if my body would let me, I would have long hair (I'm talking waist length or longer).  But the flip side of that is...it's perfectly okay to be a middle-aged woman and have  rock short hair.  Did  I ever stop to realize there's a reason why most women over a certain age cut their hair short?  (Hello, they're probably going bald, too, you big dummy.)

So yeah, when I get another pixie cut, I won't have to wear helper hair (unless I feel like it, and that's okay, too), because it looks okay with simply mousse and a bit of air drying.  I'm just waiting on my scissors lady to get back to me on a day and time (for the cut).  Short hair is awesome!  That's my new mantra!