In one of the online support groups I participate in, one of the brave parents shared an absolutely wonderful story about their very young daughter with alopecia.

The true life story went something like this....

The young girl (maybe 5ish in age) started losing her hair. The child asked her Mom if she could keep her hair in a ziplock baggie. Apparently the young child did this throughout the entire process of losing her hair. Then one day the little girl asked her Mom if she could take her hair to "school". The Mother was very open to supporting her daughter and with enthusiasm asked what she planned to do with the hair. The young girl, wise beyond her years, expressed that she wanted to tell others that the hair in the bag, used to be on her head but it all came out. She wanted them to know if it happened to them it would be OK.

HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!! This story gave me a good healthy belly laugh while deeply touching my heart. Children are so very adaptable to situations and are helping train generations to come not to judge others based on appearances.

If you have a story you would like to share please do .....

I have great joy today having gained strength through the eyes of a child!! To the mother who shared this, you are an awesome Mom!! To the child who thought of this... you are phenominal and GREAT things are in store for you.

to.. HAIR. HOPE. HEALING

Gina

Do you ever wonder WHY? I know I certainly do.

This morning I am sitting here looking at all the
tax information I still have to compile for the
April 15th deadline. WHY did I wait to the last
minute to get this done. My mind races to the events
over the past several months. My 84 year old Mom forgot to turn
the water off in her bathroom and flooded her side of
our home... WHY?. Four days ago my Mom fell while
trying to put on her pjs.... WHY??

As you can tell I don't have the answers to my own
questions. But I do believe that all things work
together for the good. I can't tell you WHY my hair
fell out, or WHY I was a sick child, or WHY it is so
hard for me to lose weight. I can only believe that
without these things happening in my life I would not
be the "me" I am today.

The challenges we face, the twists and turns in the roads
we are on, the "way things are", somehow end up getting
us right where we are supposed to be.

I challenge you today to look at your hair loss as a
blessing. Yes... a blessing. I know it will not be easy.
But what IF because of the very thing you dislike at this moment
you are able to do something you never thought possible. Or you
are able to meet someone you never thought you would meet.

The possibilities are endless. The day is young. We are each where
we are supposed to be.... hair or not.

My challenge to myself and to you today is to see if
we can simply be who we are ..in peace... with happiness...
with joy.... bringing a smile to the face of someone
else going through a major challenge.

I know I don't have to have the answers. I simply choose to be willing
to be willing .. to change, to grow, to be flexible, to be open,
to be real all the while being true to myself.

You are fine just the way you are. You are where you are supposed
to be!! There is hope!

to Hair. Hope. Healing
Gina

My husband and I like to watch "American Inventor" to see what kind of things people are coming out with. Some of the inventions crack us up and have us rolling in the floor with laughter, others are truly inspiring inventions.

I was so totally humbled when I saw my friend and fellow alopecian Jodi Plizka present her new invention.. Jodi did a GREAT job and her presence had tears streaming down my cheeks.

Seeing others with alopecia in the public does something deep inside of me. Maybe it is because it keeps reminding me that I am not alone ... you are not alone...we are not alone. Somehow we are each where we are supposed to be in this life ... the good.. the bad..... the hair... no hair....in sickness...in health...with all body parts or without.... we are EACH here for a divine reason Our divine reason becomes even clearer when we allow our deepest weakness to be used. Somehow there is strength in weakness. Somehow there is hope in what once appeared to be a hopeless situation.

You can read about this episode at http://abcamericaninventor.blogspot.com/ and at http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/0,4621,327048,00.html

You can read more about Jodi at http://www.jodipliszka.npauthors.com/

to HAIR. HOPE. HEALING.
Gina