Chances are you have met at least a few redheads in your life. I am personally a sassy ginger with millions of freckles. There are many struggles of having red hair but there are many joys as well! If you're a redhead you can probably relate to these things on a soulful level.
1. When I go into the sun I can watch freckles form.
This may sound like a joke, but in all honesty, I have circled a spot on my arm and watched freckles appear like magic. It's kind of cool but one day I might become one big freckle, and I don't know how I feel about that. It is pretty cool to look back on pictures when I was younger and see just how many angel kisses I have received over the years, though.
2. When I go outside I HAVE to wear sunscreen.
It's really not an option, so unless I want to turn into a lobster I have to put on at least 30 SPF. Sometimes it does suck, and I wish I could just get tan like everyone else. Then when I tell people I am getting tan they laugh and hold their arms against mine and say that I am still super white. While I understand that in their eyes I am still pale as snow, I really do have tan lines and for a redhead, this is hard to achieve! I mean I guess the good thing about always wearing sunscreen is I will be more protected from skin cancer in the long run.
3. People always ask if it's my natural hair color.
Yup, I was born a fiery ginger. I used to be self-conscious of having red hair but now I realize that I am unique and people spend tons of money trying to achieve my hair color. I also get asked if I get highlights because the sun bleaches my hair in certain parts to make it look like I spend hours at the salon with tin foil in my hair. I enjoy this perk because my hair gets to change colors throughout the year without any cost!
4. I got teased when I was younger about my hair.
I didn't personally get attacked or criticized for having red hair but I did get some unnecessary taunts about it. The most common was definitely the joke about gingers having no souls. I usually blew that off and didn't take it personally, but if someone honestly thought that the color of your hair caused you to have no soul, that's pretty messed up. I also got the question, "do the curtains match the drapes?" Even if someone was that curious about it, why on earth would you ever have the nerve to ask it to a young teenager (or anyone, in general)?! I know they were just messing around but if I wasn't as thick skinned as I am, it definitely would have hurt my feelings. Thankfully, my goal in high school was to "kill 'em with kindness" which meant that I did my best to be as nice as I could be to everyone and that usually helped the negative comments bounce right off.
5. Having red hair makes me feel beautiful.
Having pale skin and thousands of freckles can sometimes be a pain, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I would never give up my red hair either! When I was twelve I thought changing my hair to brunette would make me feel prettier, and then I dyed it with temporary dye and I realized I didn't look like myself. I lost part of who I am, and I will never do that again. Sometimes I walk past a window while I am on main street window shopping and I catch a glimpse of my hair in the reflection. It shines, it brightens up my face, and makes me feel very special. Having unique hair makes me realize that there is no one else like me in this world. It reminds me that I am a wonderful, beautiful child of God and He made me this way so I can shine my light to those around me. If you have something about you that sets you apart from the world, don't try to cover it up. You all have a beautiful light... you should let it shine!
