follow your bliss

     The other day I was cutting my first client's hair, lets call him Jimmy, because that is his real name.  (Sorry Jim for exposing you in my blog, but it had to be done).  Jimmy has been coming to me for more than 25 years to get his hair cut.  We are friends and I know his wife and kids.  The first thing he tells me is that his daughter told him she wants to go to cosmetology school.  First he said it wrong (on purpose it seemed) which annoyed me just a little.  Knowing his daughter was interested in my profession got me excited.  The last time he came into the salon he showed me pictures of her and I couldn't believe how grown up she looked and how beautiful she is.  It's crazy how time moves us along and my clients kids are now grown up.  Nevertheless, Jim told me he flat out said NO.  I'm not sure if it was because I hadn't had my first cup of coffee or I actually couldn't believe he was so adamant about her not becoming a hairdresser that I got defensive enough to rant for the next ten minutes.  I always thought that when I wanted to go to hair school and my mom said "NO, go to college!" it was because nice, Jewish girls either became laywers or married them.  I guess fathers of nice, Italian girls feel the same way.  He really didn't have an answer when I asked him why he didn't want her to be a hairdresser.  Is it not a respectable enough occupation?  No, I'm not saying that, he said.  I asked "does she enjoy being creative and being around hair and makeup?"  "Yes she does", he replied.  I asked "do you think she's not going to make enough money?"   I was just so baffled by his decision for his daughter because as a long hair 50+ year old bass player who just joined a band that HE wouldn't want his daughter to follow HER bliss.  I asked him what if he was asked to play with the Rolling Stones when he was a kid, and his father said "no they - wont be anything".
     I went to college for a year, wasted my parents money, and then went to hair school.   I hated high school and only found a need for education when it was something I wanted to learn.  Thankfully, my mom and dad reconsidered and allowed me to go to school for what I wanted.
     It's a shame that so many important descisions are made for us by other people.  I'm glad that I was able to be in this occupation because after 30 years I still have a passion for it.
     The same night I went to a retirement party for one of my clients that I've been doing for around 27 years. She is from Powelton Village and I've known her since I opened my first salon.  (Which is where i met Jimmy also).  As I sat there and looked around the room, I saw so many people that have walked thru the doors of my salons for the last 30 years.  I smiled when I thought of Jimmy not wanting his kid to be a hairdresser.   Because of what I do, I was there celebrating with my clients who turned into my friends.  I have had the opportunity to be part of people's lives that I probably wouldn't have been part of had I not been a hairdresser.

        Right before Jimmy left and had given him at least a hundred reasons why it is a good thing to let her do what will make her happy, (I can be very persuasive) he gave me a hug and said he would reconcider.
W