Mama On: Appearance

"Always keep your hair done."

Yes, my mother said it and yours probably did, too. Yes, it's good advice. But who knew it could be a lifesaver?

The Mamaknologist in me fully understands that it is the right and purpose of every Mamaknologist to keep herself intact and looking good. We dress ourselves and present ourselves with care, while moving forward with decorum and grace. That means shopping, manicures, and exfoliation. And sometimes, it also includes a hair weave.

Now, the world is not kind in challenging women of color about their hair -- even as they are in the midst of living their lives. And yet, today we are all marveling at Kansas City Mamaknologist-In-The-Making, Briana Bonds, who has her tight and obviously well-maintained weave to thank for saving her life.

Giving new meaning to, "stopping a bullet," and winding up with a slight headache, the 20-year old woman has broken up with her boyfriend and survived -- thanks to the tightness of her tracks and her knowledge that she deserves to be treated well in her life. Her spurned 28-year old former lover was unhappy with her obviously wise choice to move on, and "He fired four or five shots at me, you don't shot at someone you say you love."

Thank God she recognized this.

My mother used to say, "if you hit me (or, by implication, shoot at me), then you don't love me. And if you don't love me, what in the world am I doing with you?" Okay, I took the long way around to get to this one, but think about it: any woman, Mamaknologist or not, who has value for herself is going to realize that a gun-toting man is probably going to use that gun at some point. And, if he's not in control of his temper and emotions, he's going to use it in the wrong place and at the wrong time. Possibly on you.

I'm pretty sure Ms. Bonds is glad that she realized that this boyfriend was the wrong one... even as she took the Mamaknologist advice and hooked up her hair, thus inadvertantly managing to avoid becoming a victim of domestic violence.

Oh: she drove away, but came back in time to see the boyfriend picked up and taken away by the police. He has been charged with domestic assault and armed criminal action. We can all hope that she will take that as seriously as she takes her weave.

Read the article: Hairweave Stops Bullet