“But it’s my hair!”
My oldest daughter stood in our kitchen with a recently purchased box of hot pink hair dye in her hand. In her opinion, our long-standing rule of no unnatural hair colors had presumably expired when she turned eighteen the previous week.
I started to list my reasons for the hundredth time when I felt my husband’s gentle hand on my arm. Turning to him for support, I couldn’t believe my eyes when he shook his head, not at her, but at me. “Let her do it.”
I gritted my teeth in frustration and walked away, feeling disrespected, unsupported, and unwanted. Had all those years of teaching and guiding her come to this? My wisdom and advice discarded like rotten apples the moment she legally became an adult?
Later that evening, I admitted to myself that the outrageous color somehow suited her bright blue eyes and pale skin. I found it difficult not to stare at her sudden transformation into this ethereal, unworldly, and cartoonish character.
My husband smiled and reached over to touch her cotton candy colored hair. “You look wonderful,” he said.
I kept my opinions to myself.
A few days later, our extended family joined together in the massive school stadium to witness her graduation ceremony. The 562 seniors, in all matching golden caps and gowns, filed onto the field while the band played “Pomp and Circumstance” about a hundred times. I had not thought to bring binoculars, and every graduate looked alike. Students had been strictly forbidden to make any distinguishing marks on their caps.
“There she is.” My husband pointed across the sea of gold to the one with a shock of bright pink hair beneath her cap. He turned to wink at me.
I pulled out my cell phone to record our daughter—the star of the show to those of us who had loved her for eighteen years—walk forward to receive her diploma.
Our heavenly Father sees and knows each one of us and watches just like a proud parent as we attempt to shine for Him in this warped and crooked world (Philippians 2:14-15). He doesn’t worry much about outward appearances but looks to the heart.
Let’s all hold out the Word of Life in our own, God-given, unique, and maybe even pink-haired way. Just shine.
Cecelia Tomko is a writer.