A Little Cut, A Big Change

Some days change something inside you forever. For me, that day arrived with a phone call. I found out my aunt was diagnosed with cancer. The same aunt who fills every room with love, who has a five-year-old who expects the world to always stay soft and safe. I felt a strange mix of fear and helplessness, like the universe had pressed rewind on my memories. My grandfather had cancer too. He passed away in 2017 when I was just nine. All I had wanted back then was a little more time with him, a few extra stories, a few more hugs. Life, however, does not always negotiate.

Hearing about my aunt brought every unspoken question back. Why this disease? Why again? Why us? I pulled out my phone and began scrolling through Google, craving answers, cures, hope. That is when I stumbled upon “Cope with Cancer,” an organization collecting hair donations for patients who lose theirs during treatment. Something clicked. If I could not cure cancer, maybe I could still fight beside her and others like her.

A funny thing about my hair. Since 2022, I had tried countless times to get them cut. Classes, plans, laziness, fate - something always stopped me. Maybe my hair already knew they were growing for a bigger purpose.

The next morning, without overthinking, I walked into a salon and finally cut them. Watching those strands fall didn’t feel like loss. It felt like freedom. It felt like love taking shape in the real world. Knowing that a part of me might bring confidence or even a tiny smile to someone battling cancer fills me with pride and peace.

Now whenever I touch my shorter hair, I remember that day. A small act, a small cut, but a surprisingly big joy.