Lastyear I cut off 13 inches of my hair. I went from having hair down my back to justa few inches long, and I hated it. I hated it so much that I sobbed for the restof the day and vowed never to be seen in public again. But life goes on. One badhaircut was really quite trivial in the great scheme of things, and besides, itwasn't just any haircut - I did it for a child who had no hair.

For along time I had been tempted to cut off all my hair and start growing it again,but there was never reason to motivate me. Then I heard about Locks of Love, anon-profit organization dedicated to providing hair pieces to financiallydisadvantaged children suffering long-term medical hair loss.

Locks ofLove helps give children the confidence they deserve. After my haircut I wasquite depressed about how I looked, but then the reality that I was not sufferingfrom any serious illness hit me, and besides, my hair would grow back. For achild who had no hair, I'd given them the gift of self, and it had cost menothing.

Many teens are looking for a way to help someone without havingto give large sums of money, because most of us just can't afford that. So ifyou're planning to cut off at least ten inches of hair, now you know what to dowith it. Locks of Love even has arrangements with salons that will cut and stylehair for no charge if it is being donated to the organization. I still feel goodwhen I think about why I cut my hair, and I'm really glad I did.

Next timeyou think of cutting your hair, keep this idea in mind. The website isLocksofLove.com, and there you can find information about becoming a donor.