The Purple Hair of Bravery

Everyone knows that when you're in a band, at least one member of it ought to have crazy hair. As no one else had stepped up, I volunteered to pump up the band's artsy aspect by dying purple streaks onto my brown hair. The results? Well, you can see for yourself that they looked cool...

But what about the effect on the band members? Matt was supportive, of course, but a surprising thing happened to me. Here I am, a member of a culturally conservative religion (but not doctrinally conservative - what's up with that?) and while purple hair may not seem like much to get riled up about to normal people, let me tell you, at church I stick out like a sore thumb. I knew that would be the case before I got purpled. But what I didn't realize was how happy that would make me. Pushing the envelope is fun! I thought people would be put off - and definitely some of them were. But mostly my friends were just my friends. I even got a few "I wish I were brave enough to do that"s.

So, Emily, you ask, why did you not get this out of your system when you were a teenager or in college when such a feeble attempt at rebellion would have been appropriate? Because I was scared! I guess now that I'm a little older and slightly more secure, I am able to take these minor risks with more confidence. And wouldn't you know - it's all ok. People still talk to me, I still have a friend or two. So, although it may not seem like much, to me, it is the purple hair of bravery. It is the badge of my victory over my social fears. And, like Dumbo and his feather, it has been a talisman against other minor terrors, like having to confront someone about a problem or having to make a controversial decision. The purple hair makes me know I can do it. I'm just that purple hair kind of girl.