WHAT EVERY WOMAN IS LOOKING TO FIND

Okay; those of you who know me really well will think I’m talking about Jesus; which, I’ll admit is usually the case……..or maybe some of you are thinking I’m speaking of my long-time best-friend handsome and amazing husband (who might squint a bit at this title too), or a few of you who generally call me up once a week to see what I’ve seen on face book but would never be there yourself and you only think anyone who is posting things there is a wayward woman after only one thing and heaven’s forbid that any woman makes a comment on a man’s page; oh dear me….well; NONE OF THE ABOVE.

Besides a perfect husband and a loving son and the sweetest grandson on earth (which I already have) what does every woman long to finally find in their life?

The perfect hairdresser!!!!! I found him!!!!!

His name is John Michael; and he hides out at Hair Reflections at the square on Doug Baker Boulevard in the Inverness/Oak Mountain side of Hoover.

I LOOKED FOR MORE THAN SIXTY YEARS TO FIND HIM

It has taken me over sixty years of searching; but I found him. I guess God was using all of those years of torture to teach me not to be vain and that a beautiful hair cut isn’t all that matters in life. I learned that lesson truly; but when you get to be my age; sometimes it is nice to have that little luxury in your life and the only way to do it is to find the person that God created specifically to cut and style your hair. Finally; I found John Michael! It was an accident and I owe it all to my sweet little grandson. Huh????

I’ll try to make this long story short. It was time for theater camp last week and I had taken a week off to go with my out-of-state grandson who I believe is one day going to grow up to be the best actor that God ever put on this earth. I saw the ad; and I signed him up and he has had a great time this week getting his first taste of the stage. I have had to drive an hour to camp every morning; then drop him off with the amazing counselors and teachers for his acting lessons. The drive to camp was an hour one-way there; and an hour one-way back. I usually came home in the middle to try to figure out how to have a normal week off from my day-job for a few hours a day before getting in the car and driving back for an hour and then driving him home for another hour. Basically this driving back and forth had turned into four hours a day, which I DO NOT regret in the least because it has been worth every minute to see the smile on his face – but it didn’t leave me much time for getting my hair cut; and I decided if I had a whole week of vacation time tied up here – I was at least going to get a haircut.

I stopped at a few of the best places in town on the way back from camp; hoping they could manage to squeeze me in for a cut and style on short notice before I had to turn around in just a few hours and go back to pick up my grandson. I COULD NOT be late – not this grandmother – I would NEVER make my grandson wait one second; he happens to have me wrapped around his little finger and his wish is my command. (Eat your heart out parents; I raised you right so I could have this privilege of never having to discipline a child again; but to just have fun and be friends. My day finally came around and no one is going to change it!)

There was not one beauty salon in town that had a free second on the Friday before the grand performance for theater camp.

I struck out completely.

FINALLY FINDING A PLACE

My thoughts were that it was probably just God looking after me because, to tell you the truth, I NEVER once in my life have been happy when leaving the beauty salon. They usually chop and cut and spray and tease and arrange my hair in all kinds of awful styles. Then I go home hoping at least maybe the split ends have been trimmed and try to figure out what to do with my hair on my own. I step out of my car brushing out their styles.

This has been a repeated pattern all of my life, year-after-year-after-year, because I have frizzy, natural curly hair that has a mind of its own. I’ve gone into recommended salons with several of my friends who have straight, well-behaved hair and they have come out smiling and happy and I have come out frowning and wanting to cry.

One friend listened to my hair cutting woes for years until she decided she could possibly come up with the cut that I truly needed; and she came the closest to anyone – but she isn’t a beautician anymore – and I hate to intrude on her time. I really needed this magical, wonder-working hairdresser who would listen and perform according to my wishes; but they were nowhere to be found.

THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE WAS GOOD

There was one shop on the way home that I knew was always VERY busy and I felt it was probably a waste of time to stop in there; but I gave it a shot anyway; because I really, really needed a haircut! Grandmother’s aren’t supposed to wear hair down to their waist and look like an old faded out hippie! To my surprise the nice, courteous girl behind the desk said “Yes; John Michael can take you in just a few minutes.”

I nearly fainted right there in the waiting area. So I took a deep breath and tried to act like this happens to me all the time, and I smiled and went back to the little changing room and put on the T-shirt that she handed me before my shampoo.

No black drapes here – a cute little t-shirt that has the name of the shop – HAIR REFLECTIONS – written in nice black cursive letters against a white background. They even had one that would fit me. Hmmmm……I changed quickly (glad not to ruin the new shirt I just bought) and sat down in the shampoo chair where a very nice person gave me a warm shampoo, something to sip on and took me to the chair next to John Michael to wait until he finished up with his current client.

I noticed her hair was looking great and I silently said a prayer of thanks to God for steering me here today. He smiled; introduced himself politely and went on to finish her haircut. She left smiling and he soon returned and directed me to his chair.

A HAIRDRESSER WHO LISTENS

Once seated John Michael actually LISTENED to what I had to say. I told him how long I wanted my hair to be and said I wanted a soft pretty, classic style; nothing drastic or crazy. I noted I grew up in the 70’s in the days of Farrah Fawcett, and Jacqueline Smith and such other women who were known for having beautiful hair. I wanted to come as close to their look as I could without the face and the body.

He didn’t even flinch! A very serious look came across a very studious face and he proceeded to ask me all kinds of questions about how I washed my hair, how I styled my hair and how I set the style in place when I did. He asked what I most wanted to change about my hair; and what bothered me the most about getting a new haircut. I answered each question honestly and he took a lot of time explaining the different hair products that worked best with my hair type and the hair style that I was aiming to achieve. He was a world of information – very studious about his subject, extremely knowledgeable and intelligent.

Finally after he was sure of what I wanted (and not one moment before) he began to cut my hair. He cut it EXACTLY like I had requested. I was amazed. I could tell the cut was going to be just right even before he dried or styled my hair.

After he cut my hair he dried it naturally to see how my hair behaved on its own and he studied that pattern. He could see the frizzy, natural curly state of it all. Then he took the products that he had in mind for me, explaining all the while why he chose them for my hair, and he began to work magic.

ALMOST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

I loved the haircut when we were done. I can honestly say it was the first time in my whole life I’ve EVER walked out of a shop completely satisfied. I didn’t want to re-brush and comb; as a matter of fact; I didn’t even want to breath; because it felt too good to be true!

Of course I told John Michael how happy I was to have found him. He put me on his calendar for eight weeks in advance before I left. I had explained to him that I blogged and he said “Oh good; why don’t you take a photo of us for your blog?” A hairdresser after my own heart! Anyone who blogs is always looking for happy, smiling, willing participants; but I think John Michael knew how pleased I was and just wanted to help me show off his artistic abilities.

It was a win/win situation for both of us.

So I know I don’t usually blog about beauty subjects; but today I make an exception because I have had the wonder of John Michael to bless my life. I DO blog about being happy and living healthy – and that is definitely a part of The IN SEASON Lifestyle Community’s perspective. I have to say John Michael is definitely making my hair feel healthier; and I am leaving his shop today with a big happy smile on my face.

I also blog about people finding their purpose in life; that thing that God created you to do that makes the world a better place. For me it is writing; for John Michael it is making people happy and helping the world receive more beauty. It is a blessed day indeed when two people who have discovered their destiny in life collide and come together. The whole world is happier and I think God loves to see happy people serving one another in the way He created them to serve.

Some days you get lucky enough to smile really big and that smile can become contagious. It is the John Michael’s in this world that make that happen! A blessed grandmother went off to find a very happy grandson leaving theatre camp at the end of he day.

Often It is the little things we do for others that matter.

The people at Theater Camp will find me there right on time to pick up our budding young actor and I’m betting a few of them will ask me who did my hair.

It has been a day of watching God help worthy people to fulfill their destiny. The teachers at theater camp are also using their God-given abilities to make the world a better and happier place; just like John Michael. They too were all wearing genuine smiles and God’s love for the community was multiplying everywhere that I went about my day today.

Often the people of a place preach with their actions instead of their words; and maybe those are really the best sermons of all.

It all started with the right hair cut.

Thank you John Michael!

What a perfect day!

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