No shave November? How about no shave ever?

Some time ago I was walking down the street with my wife and some friends. We were on our way to a local restaurant for a double date and at the time I was sporting a very long, bushy beard. Two gentlemen were leaning against a building chatting and one of them called out to me.

“That’s a great beard. I want to grow one like that but I’m too busy,” he said, or something in that nature. 

“Growing a beard is the easiest thing I do all day,” I answered. “You need to simplify, man.”

Not too long ago the only folks who had full beards were either hippies or people who refrained from shaving due to religious or cultural beliefs. Facial hair is all the rage these days, from rednecks to hipsters, everybody is sporting some whiskers in some form or fashion. For those who are generously bristled, there are even competitions for elaborate styles and beard sculptures.

November is the chosen month for amateur facial hair enthusiasts. There are countless people now 11 days into “No shave November” scratching away at their stubble. The facial hair movement began in 2003 in Australia to raise cancer awareness. Now a worldwide phenomenon, growing a winter beard is supposed to symbolize men’s health. 

Growing a beard doesn’t seem like the best way to raise awareness of anything, per my statement of how easy it is to do so. But to each his own.

I’ve been practicing a no-shave decade. For the past 10 years I’ve maintained some form of facial hair, mostly long beard, accompanied by a haircut every four to six months. Earlier this year, in a moment of weakness I shaved and got my hair trimmed every few weeks. That’s something I don’t have the time for. The clean-cut look is for the birds. 

Thankfully, growing hair has never been a problem and I’m happy to be fully bearded and shaggy headed again. I vow to keep it that way. I know a lot of guys who have the opposite problem and sport a bald head or can’t grow a beard. I’m not trying to rub it in their faces, I’m just enjoying my hair while I can.  

In my younger days I kept a baby face. I used the arrival of my own babies as an excuse to stop shaving. Who has time to lather up and scrape hair off of your face when there’s chil’ren need attending to? 

It was years until I decided to shave again, another moment of weakness. When the kids saw me beardless for the first time they cried. My beard has become woven into my identity. I’ve grown quite attached to it, literally and figuratively.

On Dec. 1 when everybody staggers into the bathroom, pulls out a dusty razor and goes back to the way things used to be, I’ll still be working on my beard. No-shave November is child’s play, I’m going for no-shave ever.

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