The Bald Woman's Penseive

 Random thoughts on it all

* I wondered if I would get emotional when my head was shaved.  Not at all.  I was the first to go and it was so hot, I couldn't wait to get that mop off.  Plus, all eyes were on me, so my inner master-of-ceremonies took over, keeping a running commentary.

* Afterwards, someone handed me a mirror.  My first thought was, "Oh! That's still my familiar face!"  I think that I anticipated the change being so dramatic, I would no longer look like myself.  Well, of course I looked exactly like myself, just with no hair.

* Every shavee had a reason to be there.  Some of those reasons would break your heart.

* ...Like the cancer survivor who is currently on treatment, but who wasn't experiencing any hair loss.  He was one of our firefighters.  Weak from treatment, had to get out of the heat -- but still came to be a shavee and raise money for childhood cancer research.

* Way more people came out just to be there and support us than I imagined.  They cheered, gave more money, took pictures, and told us we were heroes.  What I neglected to say then, that I regret -- that they are heroes, too.  Reaching in to your pocketbook can be just as much of a challenge to some as getting your head shaved is for others.

* UU ministers are insanely generous.  And the IRS has the proof.

* Ditto some of you layfolks and seminarians.

* I have not experienced one single second of regret about shaving my head.

* You really do lose 90% of your body heat through your head ... unless it's sunny.  Then your head becomes a solar panel.

* Counting all the checks and cash, the event raised over $14,000.  I expect it to hit $15K by final tally.  (Not too late to contribute.)

An interesting juxtaposition:

* An amazing amount of people who know me have taken the time to give me very sweet compliments. 

* But in the grocery store, strangers won't meet your eye.  They see the bald head then quickly look away.  To think of a sister with cancer pulling up her energy to go to the store, then getting that ... I'm so sorry. 

* Speaking of that ... I'm wearing a pin that says, "Ask me why I'm bald."  No one has.  (I'm not surprised.)

* Out on the trail around "my" pond, a fisherman smiled and held my gaze.  Yep.  That's how we are.  Bald woman?  Whatevv.  But are they biting and what kind of bait are you using?

* The one thing I really didn't expect ... shavees coming up to me and emotionally thanking me for the chance to do this.  They thanked me for the chance to shave their heads and nag their friends for money.  That, friends, is pretty high on the "I'm not worthy" experience list.  Beyond humbling.