Curls for Thought: So I mean..... What do you do?

I was at work, minding my own business and me and a co worker got into a discussion about natural hair.  See ... she has been natural and was wearing wigs, and braids but recently decided that enough was enough.

Cool.

So we were just chatting up about textures and things of that nature and my hair was in a wash and go.  Nothing spectacular, it was summer so I was in lazy mode in it's finest, my hair was in a nice puff from a wash from the previous day.
so the convo takes a turn

Her: You know I love your hair.... but I don't know how you do it *She shakes her head*

Me: How I do what ?*puzzled look*

Her:  I mean how do you do go through doing your hair like that?

Me: What do you mean? *really puzzled look*

Her:  Well you have to be tired of getting up and individually curling your hair like that! You have to get up pretty early!

Me: *Puzzled then frown... then a Ah ha Look* Oooooh, No, when I wash my hair this is just what it looks like.  I just slap some conditioner on it and keep it moving... (I laugh)

Her: *Amazment* Really?? When you wash your hair it looks.... like that?

Me:  Pretty much.... I add product and go

Her:  Wow... all this time I thought you were doing your curls by hand...

Smh.. mind you My natural curls looks like a straw set ( on good day..lol), but this is not the first time someone has asked me that.   And even though some folks are natural I think they don't understand that our hair has a wide range of looks... from curls, coils and kinks.. but they are all curls just the same.  Some curls are just tighter and looser than others.  I think we as Black folks period sometimes are programmed to think that our hair is not curly at all... All we think about is Nappy.  Not to say that Nappy is a negative word, but it has been used in the wrong context for so long that we think of the hair in a more negative light.  Some feel that it is impossible for our hair to be curly.
My co workers hair is probably about a 4b-4c, but it's fine and it has the zig zag curls going on and she doesn't even realize that her hair is curly!

We have to take the time to educate ourselves about the in's and outs of hair, learn to appreciate every kink, curl, and nap!  I love my hair for what it is... and I think everyone should do the same....

~ Beauti