When I was in 6th grade, I wanted to shave the sides of my head. This was long before the viking cut, and it was not at all a normal look. For me, it was a bit of pre-teen rebellion: a bit of pre-punkness.

My Mom wouldn’t let me. But I think it was more that she didn’t understand what I wanted. And I, for my part, wasn’t secure enough to push for it. I wanted to stand out and fit in. Both. At the same time.

We somehow over- and under-sell how our appearance communicates to other people. How important and unimportant it is. As we say, it is only skin-deep. But it is also a marker of identity and value.

When we show ourselves to the world, especially an image of change, we truly are sharing something deep about ourselves. So then we present ourselves, not for judgement, but to be known.