My fair lady.

My hair started falling in droves.

So, I decided it was best to just shave it all off.

And then I looked at myself in the mirror - 

I mean, really LOOKED at myself -

And I hated what I saw.

Because it wasn't me.

The "me" I knew had hair. Lots of it.

Beautiful, brown hair.

Straight, silky, smooth, shiny hair.

Disney Princess hair.

I didn't think I looked like a woman.

Because I'm bald now.

And society has told me that "real women" aren't bald.

My head is too small for my body.

My head is weirdly shaped.

I wanted to cover it up.

Hide it so that I wouldn't have to be reminded.

But woolly hats were too itchy.

And scarves made me look like a gypsy or a pirate.

I kept seeing uncomfortable stares.

I didn't think I would ever get used to it.

This new look.

But today I woke up and thought:

It's not so bad, being bald.

Sure, my head is colder than before.

But I've gotten used to the itch.

And I've gotten used to the scarves.

And I've even gotten used to the stares.

I like the way my scalp feels.

I like the way I look.

Because I realized that I haven't really changed at all.

I'm still me, still a woman - with or without hair.

I like the person I see when I look in the mirror.

I've grown accustomed to her face.