My hair has always formed a huge part of my identity. It has allowed me to gain confidence and feel beautiful. Curly hair may not be easy to manage but it is definitely worth all of the hassle. Thank you for the tangles and the beauty, my mane!

A Letter To My Lions Mane

Dear Curly Hair,

The lion's mane you bestow upon my mornings is a blessing and a curse

Some days you decide to look like perfection

Others it looks like a birds nest

But regardless of how you dress up, you look perfect to me

Natural beauty has always been your preference

There have been a multitude of products that I put in you to make you look breathtaking

Whilst I forgot that your natural state was already captivating

The hoops that adorn my ears give you a touch of gold that no other earring does

Anything other earring gets lost inside of your coils or gets tangled in your mane

It was only fit that a Leo be crowned with a mane

My zodiac was more than a testament to my birth but rather to your presence

Your beauty has crossed language barriers

Nicknames have originated from your beauty, whether it be "curly" or "china"

People ask to touch you constantly, some more aggressively than others

They take you away from me with straighteners and relaxers

But you never stay away for too long, thank you for that

Summer is the best of both worlds

My head is like a stove-top where curly fries are made

But when I emerge from the water of oceans,

Mother nature makes saltwater look like a beauty product

You are also a maze of tangles, everywhere you turn

It is as if though there are Latin dancers intertwining on my scalp

Winter reminds me of your uniqueness

No snowflake is alike and every coil that stems from my roots isn't either

I adore you for the confidence you give me and I treasure your style

Hairstyles are much easier with you because of your beauty

I thank my mother every day for having the patience to nurture you in my childhood

You have been the origin of all of my fashion changes

You were with me through it all, from bows to bandannas, beanies to headbands

I cannot wait for what our next big thing will be

You may be a lions mane, but you give me the confidence to roar

Sincerely,

The lion under the mane