Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Vera & Paula, Conroe, TX


In my travels, I discovered the apparent connectedness shared not only between client and hairstylist but also between all women in the salon, like here at Kathie's in Conroe Texas. In Dr. Joyce Nelson Patenaude's book, "Too Tired To Keep Running, Too Scared To Stop" she shares a story that was told to her by a friend, "In Africa, the women of the village would walk a mile to the river and back everyday to retrieve water. The women would carry heavy vessels on the heads to transport the water. On day, the Peace Corps came to this village. The first thing the workers did was to dig a well o relieve the women's burden of carrying heavy vessels over such a long distance. Everyone rejoiced. But soon the women ignored the well and began once more to walk the mile to the river. The fulfillment of their connectedness with one another is what the women needed and missed." The women needed to feel that connected and one way these ageless women do that is by going to the salon once a week, to make that connection, one that is not replaceable by anything else.

2 comments:

  1. Oh wow, Yes! Isn't that amazing? I love how in every culture around the world, women are cleverly resourceful when they need to get that ever so joyful, "girl time." There are days when just a half hour phone call with my best friend, feeds my womanhood for a week!

    Great points and lovely women they are. I love this project! xoxo

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  2. Can you think of any kind of ritual that younger women partake in these days where they connect like these women do?

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