Trained to be forever straight

A couple of days ago, I headed to the Dominican salon with my mother. After she requested to dye her hair, I decided I should go ahead and color my own. (see previous post)

I watched my mother after her hair was washed and thought to myself, 'her hair is really nice when its curly'... And then I came to the realization that I really haven't seen my mothers hair in its naturally curly state. She's always had it straightened. In fact she still straightens it every morning with an old school hot comb. And it is long too, below shoulder length, maybe mid back. My hair has never ever grown past my shoulders, but my sisters inherited her genes I guess, because they have had long hair as well.

Back in junior high, I had first gotten a relaxer because it was hard to manage. So it became second nature to continue with it up until now. But seeing my mothers hair that day really made me realize that I had been conditioned to become partial to straight hair.

On Mothers Day, I woke up with my hair in a mess. I decided to wash, blow dry, and straighten it real quick so I could look a lil presentable. It wasn't "fresh from the salon straight", but it was doable. However when I arrived at my mothers house, I didn't receive the reaction I had wanted from her. I mean, I keep getting the "that's good you decided to stop getting a perm" but not "I like how your hair looks when you do it, and not the salon". Not those exact words but you should get my drift.
I'll admit, I haven't found a style that's easy for me to do without a flat iron, and even some days that doesn't work so I throw it in my typical boring ponytail.

But I just feel like she'll never be satisfied with my hair, the way I want it. I know I'm not doing this to please anyone but myself but damn, a lil encouragement along the way would help.

For once though I would love to see how her hair looks in a wash and go, or something to that effect. But I guess if keeping it straight is what she likes, then I have no reason to try and change that. I just wish she would embrace the fact that I'm going to wear my hair in its curly natural state one day (when I've fully transitioned), and hope that when I do she doesn't say "oh u need to go to the hair dresser" (as I've heard many times before)