Happy Resurrection Sunday, my friends! The first quarter of 2022 is coming to a swift end, and today represents the commemoration of Christ’s resurrection after crucifixion. As a Christian, Resurrection Sunday is the day to reflect on His sacrifice. He paid the ultimate price, for you and for me, and I am thankful for His sacrifice.

For those who do not have a social media presence, I’m often asked, “Why do you blog?” It’s a great question, and I try to answer that question after inviting a new acquaintance to check out my blog. I want to clarify that my blog is merely a glimpse into my life, but unlike my traditional social media posts, the audience for my blog is, I assume, a very different one than the friends and family I have connections with on my Facebook and Instagram accounts. Arguably, my blog entries ARE social media posts, but again, the audience shapes the content in a way that makes me understand that my blog is less personal, but more cathartic, for me and for my followers. Truthfully, my hair journey is a personal one, and the decision to share my feelings about my hair is an ongoing healing process for me. With every entry, I am able to help others filter through their decision to loc, share my evolution, and connect with those who are having challenges and successes in their own journeys.

In January 2016, when I began to research loc options, I struggled to find blogs that chronicled close-up photos and feelings associated with all phases of the loc journey. Most notably, I could not find bloggers with hair like mine, nor skin like mine. All of the well-known blogs had beautiful, statuesque caramel, mocha, or dark chocolate skinned loc’ed beauties with long, luscious, shiny locs. I couldn’t find a lighter hued sista with coarse, curly, inch-long baby locs who could help me visualize what to expect as my loc journey evolved.

The absence of relatable content opened up an opportunity for me to be of service to others, but to also work through my feelings of years of hair angst, salon visits, “in” hairstyles, natural vs. processed hair, and ultimately, my personal struggles with my body image. It’s been a journey, in the truest sense, getting to a place where others’ acceptance of how you present yourself doesn’t matter to you. Statements like, “Your locs look great on you” and “This is the perfect hairstyle for you” are not as well received by me because I have internalized a bit of “shade” associated with these comments. However, not all of those comments are vicious or meant to sting. I feel very strongly that locs look great on everyone who wears them. It’s a choice and an unpopular one due to many misconceptions and myths about locs. I most identify with my belief that locs are the perfect hairstyle for anyone who chooses them. In other words, if the “compliment” is cloaked in the sentiment of “it works for you, but not me,” I’m not too sure it’s a compliment. I’ll keep revisiting my perceptions.

I continue to blog because I prefer the thought partnership that comes to me through comments from my followers, but also friends and family members who may never comment here (but they text or call me). The number of international readers of my entries encourages me to keep posting, keep talking, keep sharing. I’m helping somebody somewhere.

When I look at Andi from 2016 above, the one who could have never imagined how this journey would transform her own identity as a Black woman and the one, in 2022, who confidently walks into a room – swinging long locs to the middle of her back – I understand now how impactful time and patience can be for someone who doesn’t quite have the vision, but is driven by the desire.

I blog for me. I blog for you. I blog for those who haven’t quite figured out what they want from their own loc journey. Just evolve…

Until next time,

Andi D 😘