by Sister Maisie Ng OSF
At a sister’s jubilee celebration, I sat across from a 13-year-old boy with the most beautiful, naturally curly, and nicely colored hair. It looked so full of life and character. I have always wished my hair could be like that. But to get that look, I would need to get a perm every few months. It takes time, effort, and money just to have what someone else was born with.
I once met a hairdresser who specialized in straightening curly hair. He told me it could cost as much as $1,500 each time. I was shocked. That is a lot of money just to change something so natural. But it made me realize how often we desire what we do not have. People with straight hair want curls. People with curls want straight hair. We are always reaching for something different, something we think will make us feel more beautiful or more complete.
It reminded me of how we treat other parts of life, too. I live in my city, and when it is time for vacation, we pack our bags and head somewhere else, often to a place where the locals are leaving for their own getaway. It is almost funny when you think about it. We leave what we have to find something new, while others are doing the same thing in reverse. This pattern makes me reflect more deeply — why are we so often unsatisfied with what we have? Why do we always feel like something is missing? I believe this longing is more than just a desire for change; it is a sign of something spiritual. A whisper from God reminding us that we were not made to be fully satisfied by the things of this world.
St. Augustine once said, “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” That restlessness we feel, the desire for different hair, a new place, a better life, is not something to be ashamed of. It is a reminder that our souls are searching for their true home.
Scripture speaks to this beautifully in Ecclesiastes 3:11:
“God has made everything appropriate to its time but has put the timeless into their hearts so they cannot find out, from beginning to end, the work which God has done.”
God has placed eternity in our hearts. That is why nothing here ever feels quite enough. We were made for something greater, for a love that never fades, for a beauty that does not need changing, for a home that does not leave us longing.
So, the next time I find myself wishing for different hair or dreaming of another city, I will try to pause and remember: the ache I feel is not a flaw. It is a Holy hunger. And only God can truly satisfy it.
