I stopped cutting my hair in the summer of 2011. It was getting pretty shaggy, and long hair can be a real pain. I kept asking myself why I was growing it out again, but I never really understood why.
Until I read “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry” by Rachel Joyce as a part of an Advent series at my church. I was doing some personal reflection to prepare for my turn to present on the book, and figured out why I was so tired, so bummed out, so looking for an external expression of – anything.
In the photos, you’ll find a timeline I created with instances when I had been personally of professionally affected by cancer. It was overwhelming. That’s when I decided what I needed to do, and when I would cut my hair.
I got my friend Helder from Aura Beauty Wellness to prepare my mop for de-mopping. My wife Brenda had the honour of the top-cut. Move over Movember, this is a real man’s game! Then it was into a brown paper bag, ready to be mailed to the National collection program at Pantene Beautiful Lengths. You can read more about it at cancer.ca
Here’s the part that gets me: it took me until mid-February to post this. That’s because I got swamped at work: I buried Camilla, attended Naomi’s funeral, David got more sick, and a host of other things (OK, not all of them cancer related, but you get the point).
Asking yourself how this disease affects you can be an eye-opening experience. Doing something about it can be just as life-affirming as the inspirational people you meet. I will always treasure these heroes of my life who show me what living means, even when death’s shadow looms.
This is for you: Brian, Sheila, Naomi, Dad, Nancy, Rick, David, Don, George, Bob, Barbara… the list goes on.
