I’ve never had long hair. I grew up in a family where haircuts where performed on a nearly flawless bi-weekly schedule, and my service in the Air Force really put the nail in the coffin — even the thought of having hair over my ears and down my neck makes me a little crazy, not to mention a bit itchy.

Regardless, as of today I am resolved to grow my hair to a minimum length of at least 10 inches.

I’m not doing this because I’ve mastered electric guitar and am about to live out my dream of headlining an 80’s hair band, or because I’ve given up the trappings of animal enslavement, become a vegan, and plan to live out the rest of my life in a state of blissfully natural, unwashed hippiedom — in fact, I’ll continue to shower regularly and enjoy a good steak.

Rather, I’ve decided that I’m going to support a charity called Locks of Love. Locks of Love is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing financially disadvantaged children suffering from hair loss with hair prosthetics. Common causes of hair loss in children include chemotherapy (read: cancer) along with conditions like alopecia, an autoimmune disorder.

Over the last year I’ve been frequently impressed with the determination of Chad Fowler, a good friend of mine, to support Locks of Love. If you’ve had the opportunity to see Chad at conferences, talks, or training sessions recently, you’ll probably have noticed his hair has been steadily gaining length. He’s serious about doing this, and it’s been hard not to be inspired by that kind of selflessness.

I think this charity is something that’s really worthwhile to support—it’s an opportunity to make a difference in a way a simple financial donation can’t. I really encourage you to look at Locks of Love, and charities like it, and do what you can.

I’ll be making regular posts, probably monthly, on my progress. I’m really curious as to how it will turn out, from both a psychological and aesthetic standpoint. Will I lose my mind? Will my extremely thick, wavy hair doom me to some horrible caucasian afro? Stay tuned. Regular updates, including hair raising photos to come over the next several months.