'It was hard to explain, but something compelled me to rip my wig off. I started crying.'
, and I rolled up to the starting area in spandex and a tank top while everyone else stayed warm in their sweats. But no one batted an eye or teased me. In fact, runners were extremely friendly and supportive, wishing me good luck as we toed the line together.
Yet what I couldn’t get out of my mind was the support from not only friends who watched me race, but total strangers as well. . I was about four miles from my apartment in Charlotte, North Carolina, right where the road transitions into the Little Sugar Creek Greenway. It was a hot day in late May, and as I ran, I felt strong. My mind wandered to my recent accomplishments and personal growth.
When I got home, I looked at the person in the mirror. Instead of fixating on my bald head, I peered into my eyes and noticed they were actually a beautiful, olive green color, not blue, as I’d believed my whole life . They really stood out against my tan face and bald head. Then, I touched my head and realized I actually liked the shape of my head. For the first time in my life, I truly felt beautiful. I even said it out loud—“I am beautiful.
When I got home, I told people about my alopecia and pretty much stopped wearing my wig for good. It was definitely nerve-wracking, but you know what? No one said, “put your wig back on.”for a marathon, I plan my 20-mile training run to pass that very special spot Crossing the finish line of a marathon is the greatest feeling in the world. No matter how many times I’ve done it, it always makes me feel incredibly proud. It’s funny to think that growing up, wearing the wig is what gave me confidence. Now, it’s the total opposite—Related StoryStill, people make hurtful comments from time to time, like “you used to be so much prettier when you wore a wig.
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