Sometimes I feel like there is direct correlation with how my day or week has been and the condition of my hair. Take now, for example, as I am in desperate need of a haircut, the brittle pieces of my hair are at risk of breaking off at any minute if I put any more undue pressure on them.

And yup -- that pretty much sums up how my week has gone.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard I try to hide, control or temporarily fix my damaged locks with bobby pins or hats, there is just no getting around the fact that whenever I look in the mirror, I feel like the little stresses of my life are catching up with me and my hair seems to be taking the brunt of the action.

I realized earlier this week, that what my lifeless and dull hair really needs right now is a good case of some tender loving care, some professional help and a deep conditioning. I guess my soul could use some of that stuff too.

That is why I have been looking forward to my Friday-night hair party for more than a week. Once a month, a group of girlfriends and I get together to do hair. Thankfully, one of us is a professional, so it all works out. 

To give you a better picture of what I am talking about, just picture a scene from Steel Magnolias and in the immortal words of Truvy, the southern belle hair dresser with a heart of gold, "I don’t trust anyone who does their own hair. I don’t think it’s natural."  

That is why you will see a bunch of women sitting around with their hair in foils, snacking on chips and salsa and gossiping about whatever comes to mind. The topics are the usual suspects -- men, hair, kids and the belief that pizza and wine on Friday nights are disqualified in the calorie games.

Getting our hair done is almost a religion for many of us since it's a time for reflection, renewal and sometimes even rebirth. It's amazing what a new hair style can do for a woman's potential.

So, I have been physically craving my own religious experience -- the opportunity to spend a day surrounded by good friends and the smell of hair products -- after I fell into bed one night feeling like I had just run a marathon. Exhausted and spent, I mentally started going through my schedule and realized that it was only Monday.

Oy. It was going to be a long week. 

We’ve all been there -- that feeling that the week should be ending when it was just beginning. But knowing I had a day of girly-talk already scheduled helped me to realize that just like the split ends of my hair that are separating and reaching in every direction with no real purpose, I also needed time to collect myself, re-group and breathe.

So, while my hair is being restored to a healthy shine, so will my outlook on life. My positive attitude will bounce back after an evening spent with women laughing and relaxing after a tough week. And with a new, vibrant shade of color added to my head, giving my appearance a fresh spark, I know that there will once again be a sparkle in my eyes.

It’s been said before, but there is never any harm in repeating the truth. Girlfriends are good for the soul -- and the hair.