So you finally decided to do it. You sat down weighed the pros/cons with your partner and you are ready. Maybe you decided to enter this responsibility on your own, which is nothing to be ashamed of. Know your life will be harder and at times you may want to quit but it will change for the better. Do not get frustrated and doubt your decision. Stay strong because one day it will all be worth it.
You have decided to take the next logical step in manhood, growing a beard.
Let’s first take a moment to pause and welcome a new member of the bearded family.
Congratulations this is a big step and one you should not enter into lightly. Remember, with a beard comes great responsibility. You are not just representing yourself, your face, or your manhood but the rest of us. We are The Great Bearded Guild, so please take it serious and make sure you know a bit before you embark on this wonderful journey.
I cannot caution you and this decision enough. Do not grow a beard on your face and let it look trashy. That is disrespectful to what it means to be a man!! I walk around and observe those who are undeserving to have one. There are great men out there who cannot grow a beard. You have a gift from the gods and you waste it, bringing shame to you and your family name. Do you not think that Mark Wahlberg and Keanu Reeves wouldn’t give their soul to get rid of that patchy mess they had…??? If you have the power and ability to grow a beard, bring credit to the rest of us as the world is watching.
First, I would like to explain when I think of a man’s man, I in fact include Mr. Wahlberg and Mr. Reeves in my thoughts. I was referring to their lack of the gift to grow a full beard.
With that being said, all men are not created equal. We must believe they are and must defend that belief to have a free and non-discriminatory society but in the case of a beard, sadly not all can grow one. Which brings me to my next point.
When I think of a beard, I think of a man. One who has been punched or throws punches. Those heroes who fight for our freedom. Those who work hard and have been at work for hours before the rest of the world wakes up. Construction workers, coal miners, and all the other manual labor studs that create our infrastructure and keep the lights on. Those who wear the beard with honor.
Another group I think of when I ponder of beard greatness would be Vikings. Blood, guts, spit, violence, and any other word that can be used to describe Vikings. Aren’t they the standard of growing a beard? I am not condoning the raping, pillaging, and war side of vikings, but let’s be honest, those were tough people. Yes I am including the women because they were just as tough. Just like my mom and sister, who are part Viking. This is one reason I can grow such a lovely man trophy on my face. I also am not saying that all Vikings were incoherent war mongers either but history does say they were feared and violence usually followed.
I also have to be honest and say that tough guys, hard working men, soldiers, warriors, and other manly men are not the only ones who share the want or need to grow a beard. Some people use it as a fashion statement, like an accessory. Although these men are not as rugged or callused as the former. They are entitled to grow a beard nevertheless. Hipsters, eco-warriors, liberal leaners, and those stuck in the academia educational institutions are entitled to wear them as well. They wear them like plastic framed glasses. More of a statement than a representation of manliness. As I said, they are entitled to the “look” as well.
The motivation or why you choose to grow a beard is irrelevant, the only thing one must do is respect the growth. Keep it well groomed and take time with your facial hair personal hygiene. You belong to a unique and great club. I figure you’d be upset if a member of the Bearded Guild came to revoke your man-card as we find extreme recklessness and a total disrespect of the unspoken beard rules to be a great crime.
So welcome to the family and enjoy all the benefits of having a beard as they are far too many to list in this simple post. In the next post I will discuss some do’s and dont’s as you embark on the wonderful journey of beard ownership. I want to also speak to the different types of beard growth and the styles that each carry. All have unique challenges and different adversity to overcome. If you stick with it and listen to those who have lived past the Yeard and the Tweard, you just may be someone’s reason to convent thy beard.
Happy Bearding!!!!
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