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There are so many accomplished and notable women to learn about, to shout about with fanfare and triumph. But today I want to balance those posts by highlighting the small unsung contributions of all those women who serve us: the ones who ring up our groceries and drive our buses, the ones who clean our houses and do our nails, the ones who care for our wee ones, the ones who bring our drinks and cut our hair. These service jobs are sometimes performed by men, to be sure, but in general it is women who are doing the bulk of this work.
I got lucky one day maybe five years ago when there was a cancellation at the new hair salon I was trying out. I got an appointment with the owner and principal stylist of this fancy-schmancy place, and while intimidated by the tony atmosphere and the personal gorgeousness of my new hair cutter, I discovered that there was much more to Lindsey than I had assumed. Besides finding a way through school as a girl with dyslexia, besides building her business into the most successful salon in town, she has other extraordinary skills.
May we never assume. May we always expect that there are more dimensions to the women who serve our daily needs, even if we never learn what they are, even if their accomplishments are not newsworthy, celebrated, written in books.
Thanks again to Catherine for hosting us today. Add some balance to your Friday and meet over at Reading to the Core.
I think one of the loveliest gifts we can have is the ability to make other people feel heard and to feel special. I sounds like Lindsey has that gift. Thanks for sharing your sweet tribute.
ReplyDeleteThis poem made me cry. I feel so attached to my hair stylist in a similar way, for her listening and caring, for "what she gave that stays." Thanks for remembering the women in our lives who give and give and give.
ReplyDeleteI just got my hair cut with a new-to-me stylist yesterday... and yes, she's a champion listener, too. thanks for sharing Lindsey with us! xo
ReplyDelete"Month by Month/She gathers names", beautiful tribute to your Lindsey. Will you share it with her? My stylist, Julie, and I have learned more & more about each other as the months go by. She is a huge volunteer for the homeless here & we trade stories of what we're doing. It has been wonderful to get to know her. And, the women caregivers for my husband in the home where he lived cared for me, too. I will be forever grateful to their caring ways. (And I made sure I told them, too.) Thanks, Heidi, a loving post.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your poem, and it's SO true. A haircut all by itself is as good as therapy - I always go too long between haircuts - but a haircut by a good listener: really the best.
ReplyDeleteBravo, Heidi. In my travels, I always engage with those who many seem to take for granted - and it brightens my day to brighten theirs. On our cruise to Antarctica, we were asked if we were entertainers (No) part of the crew (No) - if we'd travelled with the ship before (No - why?) because we greeted the stewards and wait-staff by name and often chatted with them. (Yes? Why not?)
ReplyDeleteI love that you wrote this poem for all those vital people! Also, how do stylists remember so many details??!? The hairdresser is a therapist!
This is a lovely tribute, Heidi. Stanza four is my favorite. My hairdresser is a lot like that too!
ReplyDeleteThanking unsung women who serve is a great idea. They make the world go 'round.
ReplyDelete"Stories are snipped" -- I wonder if there are poet hairdressers? There must be.
I just did a quick google and discovered that in the UK, a mystery poet sent poems to salons: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tees-34212458 :-)
So, I got tears in my eyes with "may we never assume. May we always expect..." This poem is beautiful, Heidi. I think I have stuck with and followed my stylist for exactly this reason. And, why I will give her this poem from you to me to her as a gift. I am wowed by this. What a tribute for the day. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYes, "the small unsung contributions of all those women who serve us" deserve celebration! My hairdresser of more than 15 years recently moved out of state and I miss her terribly. Over the years we developed a relationship that can't be replaced. How lucky you were to find Lindsey, whose magical ability to "comb/each strand into a/braided tale..." is a true gift. Your poem is perfect, Heidi. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYes! to the celebration of all who serve us (usually women).
ReplyDeleteIn these words lies the golden kernel, "but what she gave that stays." Thanks for reminding us to remember how important each of us are to one another Heidi! Perhaps it's an individuals internal curiosity that moves some of us to strike up conversations with those around us.
ReplyDeleteHeidi, I may be late to the PF party as far as visiting all sites but I am so glad that you gave tribute to those least mentioned as She-roes. Our stylisteners are the women behind the scenes of life that provide care and attention to our needs. Your poem is a tribute to them.
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