Queen for a Day

The little girl sits in the oversized chair and imagines she's a queen. Her servants scramble to pamper her every whim as she gazes out the window at the kingdom that doesn't really belong to her. In time, her robe transforms back into a cloth and the chambermaids evolve into the hairstylists they were when the queen climbed into the styling chair nearly 40 minutes earlier.  A fresh cut and style for the miniature debutant will remind her that she, too, was royalty. And though the fussing and attention will soon end, her smile will not fade for days.

It is difficult to place value on a haircut. But imagine if the physical act paled in comparison to the pride and joy that could well-up as a result of a simple wash, rinse, and trim. This is one of the most important services we offer at Project Homeless Connect. It's easy to attribute worth to things we deem important or crucial to survival. Financial advice and planning are often at the top of the list, as well as legal services and employment counseling. But a hair cut... Seriously?

When was the last time you were proud of how you looked? Not in a narcissistic way that begged everyone to treat you like one of the Real Wives Of Flathead Valley. But in a way that you felt confident to look others in the eye and address them as equals? For most of us, our appearance is important and we know that even if we might not (thankfully) be in contention to grace the cover of Vogue, we look nice. We don't worry that we will be discriminated because of our clothes or the way we are groomed. We go to work, socialize with friends, and hang out with family members without a terrifying fear that we will be ostracized for our appearance. In essence, our default-setting is understanding that we look presentable.

This isn't the case for many of our clients at PHC. For numerous reasons, many of them are unable to make it to a Beauty Salon. Everything from a lack of child care to work-scheduling conflicts to a lack of finances can hinder many people from ever being queen for a day. The feeling of confidence that can stem from being taken care of for just a few minutes can be very instrumental. I'm not saying that a person's worth is determined by this, but rather its an experience that everyone should get to have once in a while.

Thanks to all our volunteers who provide service in this area.