Gratitude and Baldness

April 2008

A giant, pink, fluffy “Thank you!!” for your tremendous outpouring of support, encouragement and delight for my workshop and website!!! I am having great fun as my inner inspired teacher takes another step onto the public stage. Please continue to let me know how I’ve inspired you and how you’d like more!

My family shaved our heads this week. Some of you may be thinking I’ve completely lost it, while others know I lost it awhile ago! My husband Roger, Blake (4), Grant (2) and I all shaved our noggins in preparation for a photo shoot for St. Baldrick’s Foundation -- the world's largest volunteer-driven fundraising event for childhood cancer research. The Foundation asked us to do the photo shoot after seeing Grant’s photo as one of the honored children for the fundraising event held at Helen Fitzgerald’s here in St. Louis in March 2008. We’ve found a very strong connection to this organization, so we gladly agreed to participate. Plus, professional pics of the Bald Bautista Family will be treasured family heirlooms, I’m sure. http://kellyparkphoto.blogspot.com/

What has struck me since then is the power of our action and the equal and sometimes opposite reaction. The action itself has been a huge life lesson for our four-year-old, Blake. He’s learning what being a leader truly means. It is not about how fast he runs, or scoring more points, or having an arbitrary title bestowed on his head for a day. It’s about stepping forward to do what is right. It’s about stepping outside the box and making an impactful statement for a good cause. It’s about acting with love.

On the other hand, I was saddened by the reaction of one of Blake’s little friends. When she saw our hair (or lack thereof), a confused look of disgust come across her sweet innocent face. My heart sank in recognition of what just happened. Society’s view of what is right for women (and perhaps men) had already programmed her response. I sent a little prayer that she and so many others in our world today begin to see that being a woman is not about the length of my hair, the height of my heels, the length of my skirt or the color of my clothes. It is something that comes from deep within. It’s a God-given source of calmness in my heart, fluid creativity flowing from my pen and warm love filling my soul.