Spare Change
I walked into my school this morning anticipating an onslaught of "WHY????s and pictured the hallways full of wide eyed kids looking at me crooked because of my new hair color. It turned out to be a premonition and that's exactly what happened. Some just ogled, jaw dropped, mouth open, like an exaggerated slow-motion cartoon segment. As if I had shaved my head.
I decided to use my new hair color as a basis for my class visits. It turned out to be the perfect opener to talk about change and how to adapt to it.
There were some pretty positive reviews, but most of the kids just said "you dyed your hair" with an upward inflection at the end that made it sound like a question. Shock mostly.
I went blonde in the summer for a movie. I wound up really loving it and decided to keep it a little past the point my scenes were wrapped, which wasn't too long ago, actually. But as the cooler winds have arrived and the Fall colors have disappeared, I decided it was time to go natural. The kids actually knew me as a redhead so didn't expect me to claim brown as my natural color. That's how long it's been since I've seen my roots extend beyond touch up time.
I've always enjoyed changing my hair. It's a compulsion of mine. I cut it short in high school and actually did shave it once, and it has seen most hues of the rainbow, if not all. Most recently, it was green. But that was an accident due to a cheap drugstore box of color that I was coached into fixing properly by a beautiful beautician. I should go and thank her.
In my classes, a lot of topics came up and I was able to steer the discussion into some pretty deep fields. Divorce came up on purpose each time (I visited about 6 or 7 classes today). A few students shared their injury stories and opened up about sick parents and sadness. It was pretty awesome.
At the end of each class, it became apparent that when change occurs you have no choice but to accept it, at least on a very day to day basis. The weather, losing teeth, moving, etc. The downside to childhood is that you have adults making decisions around you and that makes for a lot of change happening beyond your control. I asked a group of grade one students to name things that don't change and the first thing that came out was the moon. I love that the kid was able to think of that so quickly.
What's the constant in your life? What doesn't change? Anything at all? This table I'm writing on hasn't changed... It's moved places a bit, but still solid. Structures are good, but not always built to last. My mom's always been a good mom, but relationships do morph as people change and evolve. I dunno, I guess there's lots to think about here.
I guess whatever the change you might be experiencing, however mundane or however passionate, fight for what's good and for what you believe in, but know, as one kid put it, sometimes you just have to "get over it." Accept. Adapt. Change alongside. Or don't, but consider the toll it takes on your spirit and be patient.
Incidentally, I recently collected all the spare change I'd left lying around my apartment. Dimes turned up on floors, nickels on the kitchen table, all this change strewn about as if to let me know change is imminent. I put it in my piggy bank, where it belongs, and it's slowly piling for the next time I desperately need it. And there will be a next time, just like I'll probably dye my hair again, just like I'll seek out change when my life needs it and have some stored up (inner) wealth when it's time to react.
Peace and love,
Katie
I decided to use my new hair color as a basis for my class visits. It turned out to be the perfect opener to talk about change and how to adapt to it.
There were some pretty positive reviews, but most of the kids just said "you dyed your hair" with an upward inflection at the end that made it sound like a question. Shock mostly.
I went blonde in the summer for a movie. I wound up really loving it and decided to keep it a little past the point my scenes were wrapped, which wasn't too long ago, actually. But as the cooler winds have arrived and the Fall colors have disappeared, I decided it was time to go natural. The kids actually knew me as a redhead so didn't expect me to claim brown as my natural color. That's how long it's been since I've seen my roots extend beyond touch up time.
I've always enjoyed changing my hair. It's a compulsion of mine. I cut it short in high school and actually did shave it once, and it has seen most hues of the rainbow, if not all. Most recently, it was green. But that was an accident due to a cheap drugstore box of color that I was coached into fixing properly by a beautiful beautician. I should go and thank her.
In my classes, a lot of topics came up and I was able to steer the discussion into some pretty deep fields. Divorce came up on purpose each time (I visited about 6 or 7 classes today). A few students shared their injury stories and opened up about sick parents and sadness. It was pretty awesome.
At the end of each class, it became apparent that when change occurs you have no choice but to accept it, at least on a very day to day basis. The weather, losing teeth, moving, etc. The downside to childhood is that you have adults making decisions around you and that makes for a lot of change happening beyond your control. I asked a group of grade one students to name things that don't change and the first thing that came out was the moon. I love that the kid was able to think of that so quickly.
What's the constant in your life? What doesn't change? Anything at all? This table I'm writing on hasn't changed... It's moved places a bit, but still solid. Structures are good, but not always built to last. My mom's always been a good mom, but relationships do morph as people change and evolve. I dunno, I guess there's lots to think about here.
I guess whatever the change you might be experiencing, however mundane or however passionate, fight for what's good and for what you believe in, but know, as one kid put it, sometimes you just have to "get over it." Accept. Adapt. Change alongside. Or don't, but consider the toll it takes on your spirit and be patient.
Incidentally, I recently collected all the spare change I'd left lying around my apartment. Dimes turned up on floors, nickels on the kitchen table, all this change strewn about as if to let me know change is imminent. I put it in my piggy bank, where it belongs, and it's slowly piling for the next time I desperately need it. And there will be a next time, just like I'll probably dye my hair again, just like I'll seek out change when my life needs it and have some stored up (inner) wealth when it's time to react.
Peace and love,
Katie
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