WOW!!! Can I just say... 14 inches of hair really weighed a lot?!? LOL! I've been growing it the past 1 1/2 years so I can donate again. I made the hair appointment last month at Aveda for today and walked in feeling nervous (it wasn't my first time tho, I was more nervous that the kids might not recognize me or might be scared!) ~
Well, what do I know? I told the lady to cut my hair off, at least 10 inches, but don't go above my chin level. She did exactly as instructed and for donating, I got my hair cut free, also, she gave me two bottles of shampoo/conditioner as a thank you gift!!!
Now, I'm trying to think if I should donate again ~ granted, I love my hair now. I can actually move my neck without feeling weighed back. But I want to also help the young children with no hair -- they were my true inspiration.
If you want to know why I started doing this... read on, if not, then stop here!
Caution: This might make you cry!
Back in 1993, when my grandmother was diagnosed with stomach cancer -- she lived for two more wonderful years and when she was sick in the hospital, she was moved to the cancer building where terminally ill people were put. Every day, I visited my grandmother until I saw this beautiful little girl being wheeled up and down the hallway. I was sitting by my grandmother as she was under morphine and very ill. The little girl asked her mom to bring her in the room and she asked me if she can sit in my lap.
I said sure and as her mom picked this bald, terminally ill girl up and placed her on my legs, little did I realize that we didn't talk much. We kept looking at each other eye to eye as she played with my long, curly hair. I smiled at her and wiped tears from my eyes -- she was so young... seven years old. She then put my hair over her head and played with it. She played pulling my hair back, front, tried to braid it, etc.
Every day, this little girl kept coming to visit everytime she sees me. Every day, she sat on my lap and played with my hair. My grandmother continued to get worse, and my mind was just drawing blank. She finally passed away peacefully with her family around her. I was just in tears.
As I began to go to this little girl's room, I noticed she was sleeping and talked with her parents in the hallway. I went in to say good bye -- gave her a kiss on her beautiful cheeks and rubbed her hands. I gave her parents my address and phone number in case they want to talk. Her parents were the strongest parents I've known -- they did not give up hope, even when she was terminally ill.
Three weeks later, I received a phone call. This little girl passed away and her funeral was in 2 days. I pulled myself together and went to her funeral and saw her family -- I reached out to them and we talked. Her mother slipped me a note and asked me to read it at home.
This little girl asked her mom to write me a note for her because she was so ill to write -- she wanted to thank me for being there for her and for letting her play with my hair. She went on saying how much she loved it and if I ever decide to cut it, to please donate it to the Locks of Love in memory of her. At that time, I just poured out tears...
Every 2 years or so, I have donated to the Locks of Love -- the memories of my grandmother and this little girl continues to live on. Every time I mail in my hair, I put it in a zip-lock bag and marked it in memory of this girl.
I hope that you all will consider donating to Locks of Love -- whether or not you've been touched by a special child like I have. Now I'm going to wipe the tears away from my face...
I feel so alive (aka 14 inches of hair cut and donated to Locks of Love!)
And sweet for the little one who gets a new hairdo, too. 
I am seriously bawling here. What a touching story. I am already planning on donating my hair in memory of my wonderful aunt (see my sig). I just have a couple more inches to go!
LOL!
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