Big Ears

By: BA @ Kids Matter

One day I was in the lobby of my local YMCA, where I was employed as the Executive Director. I was feeling very good that particular day because we had just finished a very productive board meeting. Everyone had shown up for work happy and the sun was shining outside.  In addition, I had just gotten a very new and very chic haircut. 

Now, everyone who knows me knows that I have always been particular about my hair.  In high school I had the popular blond “flip” with bangs and spent hours perfecting that flip.  Many nights were spent rolling my hair, using Dippity­-Do, sleeping on plastic rollers, then teasing and spraying until it was just right.  Later, in college I would come to love the kind of hippie “shag”; short on the sides and long in the back.  Somewhere in there was that Farrah Fawcett layered look, too.  At one point, when my children were little, I wore it pulled back in a ponytail and always wore a ribbon that matched my outfit.  Oh, yeah, and then there was the “bobbed cut”.   I do try to stay on trend! It took me a long, long time before I would let just anyone touch my hair. I searched and searched for someone who I could trust and I had finally found a beautician who I loved.

Anyway, as I said, I had just gotten a new haircut and was feeling pretty darn good about it. It was very similar to the popular Princess Di cut; short, sleek and a little bit sexy.  I was standing in the lobby talking with one of the members. It was pretty crowded that day and we were very deep in conversation when I felt a gentle tug on my skirt and heard a little voice interrupting with, “ Mrs. Allen…Mrs. Allen?”  Then louder……”Mrs. Allen!”  More tugging….  I looked down into the precious face of one of our little preschoolers. His class was on the way to the gym with their teacher.  “Yes, Jim, what can I do for you?” I asked.   In a voice that I will never forget, he announces to everyone within earshot……“Mrs. Allen, you’ve got really BIG EARS!”

Silence fell as everyone tried not to burst out laughing and waited to see what my reaction was going to be.  I looked down, held back my own laughter and simply said, “Why yes, Jim, you are so right!”  And off he happily went to play in the gym.  So much for feeling good about myself and my new hairdo!!

I still wear a similar version of that haircut to this day and always remind my beautician, “Not too short over the ears”. 

Kids-You just gotta love them!!