The Joys of Being a Red Head

I have been meaning to post this for some time! I spoke at a high school retreat this past year and met Hannah, a senior who is a red head. Her youth pastor sent me a paper she wrote and I had to share it with you because it is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Hannah!

The Joys of Being a RedheadBy: Hannah Middlebrook

You would think being a redhead is easy. We are like any other person right? Well you are wrong. How would you like it if whenever you meet new people their very first question is, "so uh…do all redheads really have tempers?" That question infuriates me! Just because my hair is one color does not mean it seeps into my brain and makes me an angry person. I just want to punch anyone that asks me that! I mean do people honestly look at me and say "wow sure don't want to be her friend, she has red hair, must have a temper." No, I am a kind; caring, gentle hearted person and anyone who would like to differ can meet my fist. Redheads have always had it tough though. If I were born 200 years ago, I would be burned at the stake as a witch!

Being a redhead is simply not easy. I cannot go anywhere without people stopping me and wanting to know what bottle I used to dye my hair with. My "favorite" thing people do to me though is petting my head. Can you believe that absolute strangers will pet my head?! No joke. Standing in a line is the absolute worst place. I will be minding my own business when all of a sudden I feel an unknown object in my hair. Who knows where the hand has been? What makes you think you can walk up to a complete stranger and pet them? You would think that they are kids or some cute elderly person, but no it is some 45-year-old lady going through a mid-life crisis stroking my head! Honestly why would you do this? What possesses a person to do this?! But because I am such a nice girl, without a temper, I smile and turn back around praying the line will move faster.

Most of the time I meet people that stalkishly love my hair, but not always. I have had a woman actually cross the street to yell at me for being born with red hair, when she had been spending hundreds of dollars to match what I have. What am I supposed to say? Is she complementing me or threatening to kill me? I usually smile and say, "Sorry, would you like a psychiatrist's number?" The lady snarls at this and I take the signal to run! Another joy of being a redhead is that because I have red hair I must be related to every redhead in the school. I am often asked if my twin is a girl named Hilary. I try to be patient with these poor little fools. Politely I say, "no just friends." But inside I am thinking, "who the girl that is five inches taller than me with blue eyes?! I do not look anything like her!" There are many life lessons I have learned from being a redhead. Some being, I must be patient, caring, and attentive.

Often I find myself in a store, on the street, even in a public bathroom talking to an elderly lady telling me how her sister's husband's cousin's best friend had the exact same color as me. It can be hard to listen to when I desperately have to pee and I am the next one in line and the stall opens and I look over at the lady and she is still going strong telling me about how her dog actually had my color of hair and it is at these points I could just scream, " I am sorry but I really don't care!" And I really do care, because apparently talking about hair color makes people happy, so I try to listen to everything they say as people pass me to go into the stall and I have to dance while listening. Finally the lady notices the pain on my face and embarrassedly exclaims, " Oh sorry you have to pee, go ahead." Of course at this point the empty stall is now filled. Some redheads hate the color of their hair. They can't handle the never-ending torture or simply can't take the names carrot top, tomato head, lion girl, or the hilarious joke, "excuse me do you know your head is on fire?" In all seriousness though, I absolutely love my hair. I would not change it for anything.

It is a great conversation starter, I am unique and I meet tons of new people everyday. Yeah, on a bad day it is frustrating to not be able to walk in a store, buy milk and get out without talking to anyone. But you know I figure its worth it when an old woman can tell me how handsome her redheaded husband was, or how her children have hair just like me. To see their faces smile, remembering old memories long gone actually make all the strange pettings worth it. I feel honored that I can make someone's day better just because God blessed me with red hair.