A Simple Curl
On my tenth birthday, I received my most prized possession. As I ripped off the blue wrapping paper and untied the shimmery gold ribbon, there it was: a curling iron. Little did I know, I would be using this very curling iron for the next ten years.
I stared at the present in awe and squealed in excitement. My dream present was in the box right in front of me! Everything about this simple curling iron enamored me from the pink handle to the silver wand. After watching dozens of YouTube hair tutorials, I was thrilled to have a curling iron of my own to experiment with. The first time I ever used this gift was in preparation for my fourth grade father-daughter dance. I was determined to do my hair myself, without anyone’s help. My independent and hard-working mentality can be attributed in part to the milestones experienced with this simple device.
As I went through the awkward phase of middle school riddled with confusion and insecurity, I always felt my most confident after curling every hair on my head. I might’ve had braces and an acne-filled face, but nothing could stop me from feeling beautiful when I had a head full of freshly perfected curls. As many do, I fought through friendship struggles and felt uncomfortable in my skin, so having something consistently beautiful on my side made me feel at ease.
In high school, I found the things and people I truly loved. All of the insecurity and awkwardness from my middle school years began to fade away as I began to grow into the person I am. I grew into my enthusiastic, optimistic, and outgoing nature, which inspired a passion for the various things I became involved with. From cheering on Friday nights and singing Sinatra tunes on stage, to our high school ‘lasts’ like prom graduation with friends, I always made sure I used my curling iron to look and feel my absolute best.
And then came my freshman year of college. A brand new start and so many exciting yet scary changes. I used my curling iron through it all- the first time walking through the doors of my future sorority house, every Tuesday night before a social with new friends, meticulously curling every last hair before attending freshman year formal- my curling iron has seen it all. I have been lucky enough to form an unbreakable bond with people in my life who make me feel the most like myself, day in and day out. They cheer me on at my highs, pick me up through my lowest of lows, and are there for me every single step of the way as we take on life together.
Now we’ve come to today. They say hair holds memories, but I argue that hair devices hold memories as well. Ten years later, I look upon this curling iron with deep adoration and gratitude. I’m glad to say that my curling iron is still in decent shape, although now it has a frayed cord and scratches on the wand. I hope that my beloved iron can last until my college graduation, my wedding day, and beyond. I refuse to give it up or buy a new one because it has gone through so many stages of life with me. It is a direct testament to how I’ve changed, matured, and grown over the past ten years. There might be a lot of changes and unknowns in my future, but as long as I have the curling iron I’ve loved so long and a head full of bouncy and flowing curls, I know I can handle anything that comes my way with poise and grace.