It is five years since I have been to a hairdresser. It all began in Spain, before my Spanish was a little more fluido.
I was very capable of ordering cafe con leche,y tostada o croissant, which stood me in good stead to satisfy my essential life requirement!
But it didn’t feel it would be as relaxing an experience having a haircut!
And so I started to cut own hair, with the help of Anadi… He did the fringe and the length at the back, and I cut the layers in; following the advice of my friend Gill… ‘Just pick the hair up, hold it up high, and cut…!
And so I did just that…
And then two weeks ago, I met my new hairdresser.
In the street outside a Sassoon salon.
I was there to book some highlights for my niece Jess. She was staying with me and we were having lots of London experiences… This was to be another one to add to the week of London living!
Scott was just about to go into the salon to open up.
He engaged with me immediately, and suggested I come back in twenty minutes when they would be fully open…
Twenty minutes later I was back, to be greeted by him and Mia.
We booked Jess in and then started to talk… I told them that I was new to living and working in London…
‘Where did you live before?’
‘I was a nomad – for six years’
‘What made you stop?’
‘My inner voice… And – I had a re birth day on my 60th birthday… ‘
I paused… ‘Do you want to hear this story?’
‘Yes yes we love your energy, we want you in our salon, tell us your story…’
And so I did…
They listened fully, to every word, and they heard me deeply.
And then, I glanced at my hair in the mirror behind them… ‘I haven’t been to a hairdressers for 5 years – but I have found you now.’
And so yesterday I arrived for Scott to cut my hair.
‘I was excited when I saw your name in the appointment book’ he said, ‘I’m glad you came back’… ‘I was always coming back I said…’
As Richard Bach says in Illusions… ‘Your friends will know you better in the first minute you meet than your acquaintances will know you in a thousand years…’
And as he washed my hair and cut it – we had a conversation that was far reaching and expansive… About energy and creativity about sport, relationship, about evolution expansion development — and about truly a listening to one another.
And while we chatted, he cut my hair exactly as I have been cutting it.
He had asked my what I wanted, and as way of an answer, I had told him my ‘hair cutting’ story…
And so he began, and he followed my own attempts on my hair.
He had listened to me and my hair, and listened with his scissors – and he has made it the same, but much much better!