I've had my braid locs for what, like, 4.5 years? Almost five years now.

I've had my braid locs for what, like, 4.5 years? Almost five years now. And I still do have a lot of braid pattern that is visible. It definitely is starting to go away, and I think I'm starting to notice it more, because whenever someone asks me, like, oh, what did you, like start your locs through? And I tell them, braids. I used to just be like, oh, I started my locs through braids, and I'd go to show them. But lately, like, when I've been going to do that, like, there, I, like, I'd be like, hold on, like, let me find one. I'll find one. And it's like, you can kind of see the braid pattern, like more on this side, but, like, not really on the other side, you know? And so it's kind of been like, I don't know, it's kind of been messing with my head. It's just so sad. Like, I don't know why I'm so hold, like, held up on it. Because the whole point of your starter method is, like, it's literally the pattern of it's supposed to go away, so you can actually just have locs that have no pattern, but, like, ugh, it was such a part of my identity. I'm like, girl. So now I keep realizing it. Like, look at this one. She's literally so freaking cute. And it just adds so much character, so I'm gonna be a little bit sad when, like, I have no braid pattern. For real? But it is taking a long ass time. Four and a half years, and I still got some. That shit's crazy. I'm not gonna lie.