Kids Coping with Death

When I was a kid in junior high school a good friend's mom died suddenly.

I have a clear memory of that time but it isn't full of details because there weren't any.

By that I mean someone, probably my mom, told me of the death but after that - nothing.  We didn't go to funerals.  I didn't go to my first one until I was 19 years old.

So at whatever age I was when my friend's mother died I was sailing in unchartered waters.

Was I supposed to call her and tell her I was sorry?
Maybe send a card?  Flowers?

I'm sure I didn't do any of those things.  Did my friend wonder why no one made a gesture or was she as clueless as the rest of us kids.

So, I'm guessing we just didn't talk about it.  Wonder how she felt that first day back at school?  I never asked her.

Even all these years later the subject just never came up.

I hope kids are better prepared for this kind of thing than I was back "in the olden days."

 

HAIR!

 Who gets a monthly haircut?  If you have a short "do" like me, you probably sit in that chair every month.

I make my appointment (with my bestie, Michelle) before I leave the salon for the next month.

The timeline on my hair goes something like this:  as I get back into my car and check myself out in the rearview, I'm thinking - yup.  Another great clipping but it always has just a tiny bit of that "I just got my hair cut" look.

That's ok because I actually think my hair, every single strand, is slightly in shock.  Like I didn't give it any warning that the scissors were coming its way.  No "heads up" as it were.  Yes, a pun was intended.

The shock wears off after a day or so and then all those white strands settle into their new positions.

We ride the "dang, I look good" for a few weeks and then about 10 days before the next appointment (right where I am now) I think we've hit PERFECTION.  

I loved every little wave and slight curl I saw in the mirror just now.

But I know what's coming.  About 2 days before the cut I look just a tiny bit like Conway Twitty.  It's not a good look on me.  Conway could pull it off but I struggle.  

The cute wave that was there just yesterday has been replaced by a rolling, way-too-big, wave.  The only thing missing is sideburns!

I have a short list of places to go today and tomorrow so people can admire the "perfection" stage I have happening right now because pretty soon I'll start hearing them humming "Hello, darlin'"