For Such a Time as This

Every Encounter Has a Purpose Bigger Than You Know

By Tracy Hill

A few decades ago, at the young age of 20, I began my career as a hairstylist in a salon in the heart of Beverly Hills. The owner of the salon quickly became a dear friend of mine. I had the privilege of being her apprentice for the first year, during which time she passed on her skill and expertise to me. After those initial 12 months, she gave me a stylist chair of my own, right in front of a huge window on Santa Monica Boulevard. I had a regular clientele but was also open to walk-in customers.

I’ll never forget the day when a certain man walked in off the street and asked if I was available to cut his hair. I had a break in my schedule, so I invited him to take a seat—right there in full view of everyone who passed by. This man wore a turban on his head and had a very long beard growing on his face and neck. He proceeded to share a bit of his story—he was breaking away from a religion that he had followed for years and whose doctrine prohibited him from cutting any of his hair. This haircut was much more significant than it first seemed. It was a pivotal act of leaving one life behind and embracing a new life going forward.