Patience. Right. Now.

Sally was once a close friend of mine.  Over the years we have drifted apart.  I don’t think it was one circumstance pulling us apart but rather our paths took different directions.  She is still a client of mine.  She is a “right now” kind of girl.  Whether it is the latest pair of shoes or the newest purse from Coach, she HAS to have it.  Now, when I say she has to have it, I don’t mean, she saves up and waits till it is on sale.  I mean, come hell or high water, she will be out the very day she sees it and buy it.  Okay, impulsive would be a great word.

Now, most hairdressers would read this and think “she must have amazing hair”.  WRONG.  She is a dark brunette who wants long platinum blonde.  Yesterday.  I have tried having the “come to Jesus” talk with her.  This talk only happens when things are really serious.  When I feel like I have tried every other way, I resort to sitting in front of the client and bluntly spelling it out for them.  You are not Kim Kardashian.  You are not Jennifer Aniston.  And, the rules are the rules of hair no matter who you are.  You can’t go from almost black hair to blonde (when you have been pulling color through your ends for years) in a day.  It takes TIME.  And it isn’t on YOUR time.  It is a process.

Sally came in the other day and said, “My husband doesn’t think I am blonde enough.  Do whatever you have to!”  And with a deep sigh, I told her the same thing I have told her for months…no wait, years now (because we have been through this before).  It goes something like this. Me: “You want long hair right?”  Sally: “Yes, but I WANT blonde.  And my husband likes me blonde.  Like Penny blonde.  I want my hair like hers.”  Me:  “You are not Penny.  If your husband wanted a blonde as light as Penny, he probably should have married one (yes I said it.) Please be patient.  I told you I will get you as light as possible but if we do it the way you are wanting to do it, it is going to end up with your hair on the floor.  And you will be sporting a cute pixie.”  Sally “Just do it.  I don’t care.  I want it blonder.  And if I have to cut it, oh well.”  Yea, riggggght.  After many of these conversations, I finally decided because I have known Sally for so long, and she wasn’t listening, and things had to be on her time, I couldn’t fight that battle anymore.  I had made it very clear what was going to happen.  What more could I do?  Yes, I could refuse to do her hair, but because we have been friends for so long, I didn’t feel that was an option.

Sally left the salon last night with a very blonde, very cute chin length bob.  We had to cut about 8 inches off.   I do have to say, it looked amazing.  But, the last thing she wanted was short hair.  Aaaand, well, I don’t mind being right every once in awhile.

How many times have we asked the angels to sing on our time?  How many times have we insisted on an answer to our “problem” RIGHT. NOW.  It may not end up with our hair on the floor, but did it end up in another challenge we might have avoided had we given things time to unfold naturally?

One of my favorite sayings is “Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair.  It passes the time, but it doesn’t get you anywhere.”  I encourage you to ask your angels to sing.  To listen for them.  And most of all, to be patient.  After all, it isn’t REALLY on our time.

Believe.