Long as God can grow it

Do you miss having long hair?

(Background: I’m answering interview questions from Vardibidian. Until April 14, 2005, it had been approximately 18 years that I’d worn my hair in a ponytail.)

When the immediate need had passed to have short hair, I considered growing it back out. My appearance in the mirror hadn’t changed as much as the general feel of turning my head. But I found I don’t mind having short hair, and I like the folks who cut my hair every 5-6 weeks now. The answer is no.

I do miss the sense of freedom that allowed me to choose to have long hair, and I miss the ways of looking at the world that vanished around the same time and for the same reasons. But I’ve actually needed to maintain a short cut for the past 18 months for other reasons, so it’s been convenient to have already chosen to keep my hair short.