So I'm sitting here sipping on my coffee and chiefin' on a ciggarette reminiscing on the times before I started my dreads.. and you know what? I don't miss it at all. I actually wish I would've started them before but I hadn't collected all the knowledge I needed about them just yet. It actually took me about 2 or 3 years before I was certain I wanted them and even still I did more research. Of course with all the research I fell into the trap of knottyboy and dreadheadhq BUT thankfully I found this site and SE before I chose to take that route. I decided to use the backcombing method. No wax! I had a friend help me with them and it actually took 2 separate days to do them. but all in all around 10-11 hours.
My only issue was too much palm rolling and I eventually gave up on that as well. I saw no need. I was one of crazies who expected and wanted 'perfect' dreads until I came to the realization that there is no such thing. All dreads are 'one of a kind'. Beautifully imperfect.
I got alot of negative feedback at first. From family & friends. All sorts of rude comments. "You need a brush?" "What the heck did you do to your beautiful hair?! You've ruined it!" but I stuck with it cause ultimately it was my decision and I cared not what others thought of me. I've never just let go of something and let it take its own course. I did a lot to maintain my hair before I started my journey and I finally caught sight that it was unimportant. Now after the first 2 months, they really started to do their own thing. I woke one morning to find they had shrunk up about 4 or five inches.
(I thought I was getting negative feedback before, pshhh) it really picked back up again. I had all new wiggles and loops that weren't there before. I thought I had done something wrong at first. So I asked my fellow dreadheads allll kinds of questions and found that it was very normal. I finally grew to love them. I loved watching each one change. As if they each had their own personality. & now I couldn't be happier to have chosen to put down my brush. I'm now 4 months into my journey and have realized my dreads aren't the only ones growing and changing but I am too. I wouldn't give them up for the world. <3
updated by @daydreamer: 08/19/21 09:58:34PM