If you haven’t read it yet, check out Growing a Beard, part 1.
Thought I’d share a bit more about the process of growing out a beard. Until my beard really started growing out thick, I didn’t realize that I didn’t know how to maintain a beard properly. Maybe this should have been obvious, but it takes some work and skill to grow a full beard that doesn’t look like an appropriate nesting place for birds and squirrels.
Therefore, with my lack of knowledge, my beard at about six weeks was quite a mess – hairy neck, unshaped lines, no form… not a pretty sight (of course pretty was not precisely what I was going for).
Realizing that I needed help, I took the obvious next step and googled “how to trim a beard” or something along those lines. …
The first site, strangely, was for women seeking to grow beards. Don’t ask.
The second site was an individual who takes the Old Testament levitical prohibition against shaving the sideburns to be a normative law for Christians. His thought is basically, if it grows, it’s meant to be there, so shaving or trimming in any way is sin.
Needless to say, I have a difference of opinion on that point. But he linked to a beard style guide that was actually a bit helpful (at right).
The third site was far more helpful. Start there if you want tips on growing and trimming a beard, the aptly named beards.org.
Their homepage states: “…the male beard communicates an heroic image of the independent, sturdy, and resourceful pioneer, ready, willing and able to do manly things.”
Well, maybe. Sometimes a beard merely communicates “I’m too lazy to shave” or “this helps me save food for later.”
As I mentioned in part 1, I hope that my beard communicates “I’m growing a beard because it means something to me – that I’m a thirty year old man, that I have a son, that I’m too lazy to shave, and that it helps me save food for later.”
Or something.
Anyway, if you’re thinking of growing a beard, definitely read through the “how to” at beards.org. You’ll save yourself a number of unsightly mistakes.
Now that you mentioned it, I grew my beard for the first time during a time of great change in my life as well, and until now, I didn’t realize that. My changes were thrust upon me rather than by choice, and they were not all good changes, but never the less, it represented a “new chapter”. Now I’ve had a beard or a version of one for 15 years, and when I shave it off, most people can’t recognize me. So you better get used to it, because it’s most likely here to stay. The nesting animals is kinda fun, after a while it just kinda tickles.
Dave, I’m glad you found the post interesting, and that you commented on it — especially since I first started the beard while visiting you in Alaska. Having visited your wonderful state, I’m not sure how a man could live there and *not* grow a beard!
When I grew it out, I set a goal of not shaving it off until Josiah was born. That came and went, and I told people I’d probably shave it off when the hot Florida summer hit. It’s hot today! And I still like my beard. So we’ll see, but you may be right… this may be with me for a while. It feels very natural and a part of me now. It’s not mainly a “fashion accessory” and I don’t think of it as “wearing” a beard any more than I think of “wearing” my left arm. I’m me, and for the moment at least that means I have a beard.
Anyway, that’s plenty of philosophizing for one day! Give me a heads up next time you’re in town.