Pay It Forward.
Three years ago I met an old friend, quite by chance, when I nervously went in to a hair salon in Barnstaple to enquire about getting my hair coloured. She was having her hair done and I sat with her a while, telling her I was nervous as I didn't really like hair salons as I had always found them bitchy and gossipy. She put my mind at rest and told me 'it's not like that here, I promise. All the girls are lovely'. As I sat with her a while, I told her that I really really wanted my hair with bright red pillar box streaks in and she said 'Tasha is the hairdresser for you then! She loves doing reds'. 'I will think about it' I said. 'Go on, book it' she encouraged, and I did.
A few days later I went back in to cancel. I couldn't really afford it and felt bad about spending that much money on myself. I told Tasha that I was sorry but I couldn't get my hair done and she said 'you can't cancel now, your friend left a voucher for you to get your hair coloured!' I was astonished! Things like that don't happen to me! But it had. That lovely lady changed my world. That act of kindness helped me grow confidence and feel better about myself, and has done ever since.
I have been to Tasha regularly since then, for my only indulgence, my red hair.
Today, I have been in for my lovely red streaks again. Today, for the first time since that day, I've been able to afford to pay that kindness forwards by getting a voucher for a friend to have her hair done. She doesn't know who she is yet, but I hope she will accept it, as I did that day. Xxx
I'm writing this to thank my friend, who, despite not having seen me for a couple of years, did me such a kindness that day. Who knows, perhaps someone had done something lovely for her and she was paying it forwards herself. I hope so.
It doesn't have to be a hair colour, it can be a lift to the shops, a smile, a bunch of flowers or a helping hand. An act of kindness is a very powerful gift.
Three years ago I met an old friend, quite by chance, when I nervously went in to a hair salon in Barnstaple to enquire about getting my hair coloured. She was having her hair done and I sat with her a while, telling her I was nervous as I didn't really like hair salons as I had always found them bitchy and gossipy. She put my mind at rest and told me 'it's not like that here, I promise. All the girls are lovely'. As I sat with her a while, I told her that I really really wanted my hair with bright red pillar box streaks in and she said 'Tasha is the hairdresser for you then! She loves doing reds'. 'I will think about it' I said. 'Go on, book it' she encouraged, and I did.
A few days later I went back in to cancel. I couldn't really afford it and felt bad about spending that much money on myself. I told Tasha that I was sorry but I couldn't get my hair done and she said 'you can't cancel now, your friend left a voucher for you to get your hair coloured!' I was astonished! Things like that don't happen to me! But it had. That lovely lady changed my world. That act of kindness helped me grow confidence and feel better about myself, and has done ever since.
I have been to Tasha regularly since then, for my only indulgence, my red hair.
Today, I have been in for my lovely red streaks again. Today, for the first time since that day, I've been able to afford to pay that kindness forwards by getting a voucher for a friend to have her hair done. She doesn't know who she is yet, but I hope she will accept it, as I did that day. Xxx
I'm writing this to thank my friend, who, despite not having seen me for a couple of years, did me such a kindness that day. Who knows, perhaps someone had done something lovely for her and she was paying it forwards herself. I hope so.
It doesn't have to be a hair colour, it can be a lift to the shops, a smile, a bunch of flowers or a helping hand. An act of kindness is a very powerful gift.
