It's kind of an odd journey. When I was a teen... Oh I wanted to shave! Oh I wanted a beard. To wear a beard was to be a real man.
As the years went by I was able to grow one, and I quickly became aware of the annoyance of shaving every day. Even if you grow a beard you must keep it trimmed. Shaving is a pain in the neck.
So for years I would grow a beard during the winter. All that came to an abrupt end round about 2002 when a good old "church lady" made a comment. On the way out of church, instead of wishing me well or commenting on the sermon, she looked at my hairy face and said, "I don't know why you grow that, you look dirty."
Ouch.
I am sure that I allowed those words to effect me too much. I know that person did not mean to hurt me. But I stopped growing my annual winter beard.
Now that I am mostly retired, I shave or not. I grow it for a week or two, then I shave it off. I don't feel dirty anymore. May the words of our mouths be chosen with care.
It's a beautiful, hairy day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
5 comments:
Love the beard!
I think it looks kind of "HIP"eeee (smile)
Wow! Bri does that all the time. He feels like a porcupine. I'm glad you are feeling free to do what you want with your own face!
DON'T like it,...makes u look older just sayin
Words can be so hurtful; thank you for this post....it was much needed!
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