The Here and Now

As a hairstylist, your day changes constantly. It’s full of surprises. A typical day could go something like this:

9:00 a.m. My first client called saying she’s running ten minutes late. I chat with co-workers and play with my hair. More hairspray here, straighten side part, turn head side to side—done! Fabulous.

9:15 a.m. My client arrives. Must listen to spiel about traffic. Shampoo her hair while she complains about water temperature.

9:20 a.m. My 9:30 client arrives. I listen as she informs me that her marriage is falling apart. “He won’t talk to me Katrina. He won’t even look at me. What do I do?” I crack my knuckles and put on my marriage counselor hat. She’s here for advice and I’m here to give it. 

10:00 a.m. I finally get my 9:30 client under the hair dryer, and begin styling my 9:00 client as she complains that I’m burning her ear when I’m are not even holding the curling iron. My comb is touching her ear. I explain that to her, but she stubbornly says that it’s my curling iron. I curl faster to get her out of my chair.

10:30 a.m. Shonda is coming, Shonda is coming, I chant as I twirl my curling iron through my client’s hair. You remember Shonda don’t you? Shonda loves to describe (in vivid detail) her new, *ahem* positions. Sadly, my fingers are not fast enough. She arrives and I learn, among other things, just how far the human leg can bend.

10:50 a.m. My co-worker just turned her client’s hair money green. I explain, (while keeping Incredible Hulk client at shampoo bowl. A screaming client is not a happy client,) how to correct the color.

11:00 a.m. My next client arrives.

12:00 p.m. My bladder is full, my stomach is growling, (in my client’s ear, no less) and my new shoes are pinching my left pinky toe. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Now, my days look something like this:

8:00 a.m. Daughter and I eat breakfast.

8:30 a.m. Begin morning lessons with daughter.

9:00 a.m. Let her watch Sesame Street, while I try to get writing done. Do not get any writing done. Spent an hour looking through author blogs, (hmmm…Tayari Jones posted fifteen links? Great, I’ll look through them all…)

9:58 a.m. “Mommy, it’s time to play dollhouse.” Great for imaginative play, bad for writing.

11:30 a.m. Daughter loves to be the Mommy when playing dollhouse. Being Mommy consists of: being on the computer, washing clothes, and saying, “Go to bed”. A lot.

12:15 p.m. Time for lunch.

12:30 p.m. Eat lunch and let her watch one episode of Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Yes! Thirty minutes of computer time.

12:57 p.m. Play on Facebook. Nod head at Terry McMillan’s writing advice. Meditation and deep breathing before writing? Will do!

1:00 p.m. Nap time. Now, I can write. After I blog, play on Facebook some more, watch yesterday’s episode of Oprah and begin dinner (meatloaf or chicken?), I open up my Word document and see my darling daughter standing next to me. “I’m awake,” she announces.

My days were more exciting as a hairstylist, but I can definitely say that my days are more fulfilling now. I know that these days of being a stay-at-home mom won’t last forever. I cherish the days that I have with her.

I am guilty of either looking behind me, (“I miss the days when…) or looking in front of me, (“I can’t wait until…) that I miss right now. What is going on with me right now? I’m a wife, a mother, a good friend. I’m writing a book. Not only is my plate full, it’s full of things that are good for me. Looking in the past teaches, looking to the future builds hope, but looking at the here and now? That builds memories.