Heart & Soul

I got my hair done today, a cut and color building back to my natural shade with a few fun pit stops along the way. There's just a hint of blonde added to the gray, still letting the dark roots peek through, the slightest reminder of my "normal" color.

Getting my hair done, regularly and professionally, is one of the luxuries in which I indulge. One perk is my amazing stylist, a woman who is what I want to be  when I grow up (even though she's younger than I am). We chat, as stylist and client are wont to do, often focusing on the merits and challenges of partaking in a less-than ... traditional ... appearance. Other than funky hair colors, we both love our tattoos. My most prominent ink, of course, is the large skull piece on my foot.

Besides my hair and skin (kind of significant components in regards to appearance, lol), I love quirky clothing, too. One example? My Lichtenstein-esque cardigan from (the incredible!) ModCloth. 

So what do looks have to do with anything, particularly the "Heart & Soul" to which this post refers? Well ... everything, of course. I have been fortunate enough to live a life with the daily privilege of food, clothing, and a roof over my head. I am tremendously grateful that I've never had to struggle to attain the basic necessities, yet the necessities don't immediately signify living. To do, to be, to feel, to experience ... we need more. We need joy and art and stories...and maybe then, beyond a life, we can actually live.