Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Mom's Locked!

My mom got her Sisterlocks installed last Friday. To say I'm proud of her doesn't even begin to explain my pride.



You see, mom and I are totally different. She isn't very adventurous and she's often afraid to try new things and venture out despite the efforts of my sisters and me.

I am still in awe that she actually took this bold step of liberation all by herself. I was convinced that she'd never get past the "spacy" beginning stage because she has a loose curl pattern. So, I didn't coerce her. I didn't tie her to a chair and perform SL torture (i.e. force her to read blogs or look at hundreds of SL photos or read every post on LockItUp). She made the decision on her own.

Two years ago she stopped perming. She was tired of the salon wait, the salon move, the salon attitudes, tired of damaged hair and just plain ole tired.





She gets up at 4 a.m. each day to go to work standing on her feet in a hot warehouse. She'd go to work with a hairstyle and come home disheartened looking as if she'd never been to the beauty shop.

Flash forward to this past week and her new liberated hair freedom - she gets to sleep in longer - because she just runs her fingers through her locks and her hair is beautiful. The Texas and warehouse heat had no effect on her Sisterlocks. She came home and said, "Today, I didn't have to worry about those huge fans blowing my hair all over my head, wondering what I was looking like or sweating my hair out." I asked, how did that feel mom? She said, "wonderful!"

In one week, she's already more confident and proudly sports her SL. Her spacing is very minimal and hardly noticeable. She'd been wearing a wig to church prior to locking. On Sunday, I said, mom you wore your SL to church. She said, "of course! I paid too much money for this to hide them."

I guess mom and I aren't so different after all - we now share the bond of Sisterlocks!


(Hairstyles: Blaq-Caruso set with day old highlights, Mom-freshly locked after 10 hours, Gigi-Soft Spike set up do)

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your mother's Sisterlocks look beautiful!!! You barely see any scalp. Always nice to have a new addition to the family.

I live in FL and the heat and humidity wreak havoc on your hair, I could never hold a perm. Sisterlocks have come to my rescue many a time...

Muse said...

looks great!! i can't wait to see the pictures as you chronicle her journey.

muslimahlocs said...

this is your best post ever! or at least ever since i have been reading your blog. it takes a lot for some of our elders to make the transition so kudos to her!

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful picture...Those highlight look awesome on you...You are making me want to get my hair professionally done, it came out beautiful:) kudoos to mom on starting the journey.

Cluizel said...

Looks great! tell your Mom congratulations!

YEAH! Another Mother-Daughter sisterlock pair. :)

Anonymous said...

Blaq,

Please let your mom know that she looks beautiful with her locks!

I love love love the highlights and that is quite a cute style you have going on in those pics.

Anonymous said...

This is only my second time visiting your site. Your Mother's hair looks great. I am also taking the steps in becoming naturally beatiful. Congrats! and I take my hat off to you.

Goodnapps said...

Wow - this is marvelous! Another mother/daughter SL team to the family. I wish your mom the best of wishes on her locking journey.

PS - I can really see your hightlights in this photo. They look fab!

KDL said...

Your mother's SL are beautiful. She has a great start to what I am certain will be a great journey. Two generations of Sisterlocks in the same family, it doesn't get much better that that.

Best Wishes,
KL

P.S. Your color is off the hook. I'm literally speechless. Keep working it Girl!!!

Unknown said...

wow!!! I'm speechless!! I'm so happy your mom took the plunge! Considering my experience with my mother, i am shocked in a GOOD WAY!! I can only hope and pray that my mom comes around... if not getting hers, then at least accepting mine. BTW, love the highlights! I think it took 10 years off you-- so now you look 19!! :)

Sister-in-Locks said...

This is wondeful! Congrats to mom for taking the big step.

As for those highlights...Da bomb.

brunsli said...

Congratulations to your mom! She looks great. :)

I love your highlights! You know you are wrong for not giving use a full post about them.

Ms Stella said...

Your mom's locks are awesome! It's so wonderful to see your mom embrace her natural beauty and I applaud her for taking that step.

My mom lives in San Diego and knows several ladies in her quilt guild with Sisterlocks but, she's not ready(yet).

Abena Abena said...

CONGRATULATIONS to your mom!!!!

Maryee said...

Girl,

I was just watching the DFW Gathering at your house and watching Dee's intro when she was discussing how your mom's thoughts on getting locked. And look at her now!!!! Congratulations to her! Please tell her how beautiful she looks. You and Gigi got it goin' on, too!! Blessings!

Jenn said...

Please be sure to let your mom know that she is Fabulous !!!! I am very excited for her !!! I know about that new found confidence....

Jenn Jenn

N'Drea ~ the Storyteller said...

Congrats on your mom's crossing over! When you started describing her, she sounds so much like my mummy. I only wish my own would find the courage, as yours did, to take the plunge. Anyway, the pics are wonderful. Y'all look sooo happy!

Brenda said...

Blaq! For a minute, I thought it was a pic of SIL! Your highlights look fantastic, just as SIL's do. And it's great that your mom decided to go for SLs - she looks great!

Creyole said...

I am overflowing with joy for you and your Mom. Give her a big ole hug for me!

Anonymous said...

Blaq Kofi:

Your mother's locks look perfect for the first day! Gigi did an awesome job (as she always does!) Did she roll your mum's hair on Caruso Rollers? If so, what size rollers did she use?

I've been following your blog since February 2006 (my lock's birthday!) and I have to keep looking back at your archived posts to marvel over how much your hair has grown in such a short time. As my locks mature, I see a similarity between our lock textures and I use you as a predictor of what my locks might look like. Coincidentally, I also use Clairol's Texture Tones in Light Golden Brown.

I've been checking your Website daily for more posts on your highlights. Are you happy with them?

. . . Oops, I'm rambling!!!
Keep up the Blog ~ Hundreds of Sister Locked Sisters rely on you!!

Chocolocs :-)

BlaqKofi said...

Mad love to all of you who posted words of encouragement to my mom. She doesn't use computers, but I showed her my post and read each of your wonderful comments to her. She was just beaming. She loves her SL more and more each day. She sends here thanks.

Chocolocs - Gigi used a curling iron on my mom's locks after installation as she did on mine. That is the only time that she uses a curling iron.

Mom and I thank all of you for the love. I'll post some updated pics of her soon.

Jena Evans said...

Such a wonderful story...

Blessings~

Your locs and the color are looking fabulous, too~

Anonymous said...

I can't wait 2 c your mom's updates at the end of the year!

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