RACHAEL posted:

I had a very emotional visit to the salon last week.  Yes, hair salon…it’s taken me a whole week to process and write about it.  Two of my daughters, the oldest and the youngest, decided to cut their beautiful long hair (blond and auburn) and donate it to a local hospital to be passed on to the wig makers for cancer patients.  I believe it’s a truly noble and selfless mitzvah.  I’m completely onside – support it entirely – couldn’t be more pleased or proud – I got there early – I had my camera at the ready…

Then I realized that aside from a symbolic snipping of a single lock of hair when my youngest was 3 years old, we had never cut her hair.  I remembered that when my oldest daughter was a child I had made the decision that any girls I had would grow their hair until Bat Mitzvah at which point we could together discuss how important hair styling should become in their lives.  I had navigated the adolescent ‘cool’ hair attractions and the peer pressure to style and cut and here we were – oldest and youngest at the salon – scissors at the ready!

My three girls gathered at the salon from different parts of the city.  I watched them braid each other’s hair and reassure each other and giggle with excitement and beam with pride.  I knew it was a wonderful thing and I still wholeheartedly support the action and would encourage them to grow their hair again and cut and donate.  I write all these words as I sit at my computer but I have to admit that in the salon I think I choked up a bit – no – scratch that – I definitely choked up.