On a previous family trip to Florida one of my favorite cousins and I decided to switch wigs. I was so excited to try hers because on her it looked like a million bucks with change to spare! Her wonderful wig was a beautiful, black, short, precision pixie cut reminiscent of the look made popular in the 60s. She marveled at my “hair accessory”, eager to swap manes. Mine was a mid-length, mixed auburn and brown color, layered look that fell softly in my face just above the left eye. Knowing the investment I made to purchase it, I’ll too say that mine looked like it cost a million bucks with change to spare!

We ripped off our personal pieces and unveiled our “wig caps” for the world to see, okay, not really the world, but our sisters who were waiting to see the by swap. Slowly, and methodically we placed each other’s wigs on our crowns, proceeding to fluff, flatten and fix the tresses in place. Well, wouldn’t you it. We looked a mess. I’m talking a “hot, buttered, smothered, and covered up in hair that should not have been on our heads” mess. We looked so bad in each other’s hair that there is no picture proof of that wig swap ever happening. It was so sad it was funny.

Only what’s for you is for you. That’s the message I received loudly and clearly while laughing at myself (and my cousin) in the mirror. I just knew without a shadow of a doubt that because the wig looked great on my cousin it would look great on me. We’re cousins after all. We look alike. We should have been able to whip that wig on and pose for more pictures that a high school year book. NOT!

Only what’s for you is for you. I’ve learned this lesson a time or two or ten in life, but it really hit home in that Florida condo as I stood looking like a cross between Wesley Snipes in “To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar” and a person in witness protection. What was so absolutely baffling is how we both could be striking in the ones that belonged to us, and we were, but strike out in the manes that clearly did not have our names written on them. Such is the same in life.

Only what’s for us is for us. Whether it’s wigs, jobs, spouses, opportunities or even obstacles. What’s designed and destined for us is for us, and us alone and only we can wear what’s ours well.

The moral of this story is: Do yourself a favor. Wear your own wig.

@AngelaMMoore316