My Story. Loc journey
My first decision contemplated on my Loc transition began at age 24 nearly after my birthday passing in June. At first the idea only dawned on me due to my inspiration from one of my favorite hip hop artist, J. Cole. It was also a time of one of my darkest moments in life. Till this day the album 4 Your Eyez Only remains an eternal stain in my livelihood due to much of the lyrics giving me reminiscent memories and events that I’ve lived through. At the time, my hair was a messy fro with not much care being tended to it due to my lack of concern of myself. I would sport this messy hairstyle for roughly 9 months straight until deciding to cut it down to a czar myself. The thought of adorning locs fell short to not much surprise, as my decision to wanting to sport a high top fade came to much liking. This style I would sport for about the next 2 and a half years of my life, following my transition into moving from my hometown of NY to Wilmington, DE to be with my own family. Those years sporting this style would come with much internal deconstruction of myself as a man, father and ex boyfriend to my past lover. As the years of dealing with these battles only continued to rise, so would my frustration with maintaining my appearance and style of choice.
December 28th,2018 would be the year I made my full blown decision and move to commit to my journey of having locs. The night of the styling felt so surreal to me yet I was more than prepared for the aftermath of how the look would come out. Prior to that very day of, I had spent a total of 6 months in advance growing my hair back and making sure it was treated better. I knew exactly how I wanted my hair at this point, and with the support of some people reassuring that it was best for me, my transformation came to much happily fruition. The process was two hours starting around 9pm of that night, and I was at work that day of, yet I couldn’t wait to leave to get this going. The washing process felt exhilarating to my scalp, yet the next step into forming the twists turned locs was a headache. I remember every strand of my hair being pulled in between and intertwined with the next strand, to the point I was slightly tearing. Fun fact I am tender headed. After the twisting process had been done, it was time to heat dry my hair, which for the most part was just as better as the hair wash procedure. After at least 20 mins or so, the final act had come upon the process, which was to form the locs together into a barrel twist style upon my request. Regardless of the receiving head throbbing to accompany this new transformation of my hair, I was more so impressed and a lot more relieved than ever.
Growing to this accustom of my newly transformation, I faced daily in & out battles of mental, emotional, spiritually and physical downfalls. Facing my abandonment of many close friends, fighting to maintain my mental property, overcoming traumatic emotions of past and presents, and ultimately feeling the very depths of my soul being tainted and dismantled, I harbored much I’ll intent to my new appearance. My ever growing need to find acceptance in this new visage of mine brought me down to partaking in very distasteful habits and actions that I wish to not disclose. With months of hardships and fighting to restore or find my true self, a spark of faith with pray and patience took a much stronger direction into the path I walk through now.
My locs represent many strong traits that I display internally and externally daily in my life. These traits are a representation of who I’ve grown to be.
My patience and impatience with self and the world. The sight of my hair reminds me of that each day granted to me that I take care to hold strong to the positive things and not indulge into the negativity, that with patience being a virtue, so will the things that will come into my life at its proper time.
My locs represent the pain I’ve endured and conquered to still be here. Much of my days where my hair dried up, scalp was bleeding, and the days where the stench was passable, I still managed to treat it with care and nourishment for its growth.
My locs represent the commitment I made to keep to my new appearance. With much days that I’ve even contemplated on removing it all and keeping to something basic, my self preservation to this stage of myself would not allow it. It reminds me of my commitments that I make or made to self or the world. That my word is bond and that I should respect myself more by keeping to my word.
My locs represent the beauty and King in me. My outer beauty of what you see when you look at me, but the inner beauty, being the one that outshines the external of it. That my mind and heart and soul are beyond it’s capacity to everlasting growth. For the king in me, to show that my crown is just as important as my inner and outer being. When you see me, the man under the crown is about evolving into something more.
About the Creator
Trey Anderson
Greetings. I am Trey J. Anderson. I am an inspiring cook, a father of two, and in the works of creating my own autobiography into a book 1 day.
Writing to me is therapy really, and truly my peace of mind. I hope my work can touch & inspire.
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.