Disclaimer: Don’t Fear The Beard

Almost two years ago I thought about throwing away my razors and letting my beard grow. I had given a great deal of thought to this idea over the years and I figured at this point in my life and career, why not? So that is exactly what I did.

After dutifully shaving for the four years in the Marine Corps and then for the next thirty years that I have worked in education, I have shaved just about every day that I have worked. Unfortunately, during my tenure as the Coordinator of Special Education, I assumed that a clean-shaven face was the way to go, so I shaved and shaved and shaved.

When I was unceremoniously let go as the Coordinator, I figured at that point what did I have to lose? I certainly had no one left to impress, so I went ahead and stopped shaving. Now I live by the motto, “No Shave To The Grave.” My current plan is not to ever shave again, Never, ever shave my face while I am still living and breathing.

But here is the question. Just how long should your beard be? You can start with a 5 o’clock shadow and go all the way to several feet of beard. Of course, this then teases the line between what appears normal and what appears to be just a little bit on the crazy side. If you measure it that way, I’ll take the crazy side, especially as it grows longer. Crazy is as crazy does.

But here is a second question. If you decide to just let your beard go, should you care? I say no. When you start listening to other people and what they think, then you have lost control of your beard. Plain and simple, Why grow it then? Because you can!

When I hike, people often ask me, “Aren’t you hot/cold?” And in every instance I say no. The beard is just there. It does not provide me with protection from the cold nor does it make me hot.

So here we are. The one good thing about my beard is that one thing is for sure. If you see me hiking anywhere in the Hudson Valley, you will know exactly who I am.

HAPPY HIKING!!!