Saturday, November 02, 2019

Furry face

“You cannot grow a beard in a moment of passion” wrote G.K. Chesterton. 

I have used that line plenty of times in my classes.  Like a few days ago too, when I told the class that writing a paper is not something that they should do at the last minute.  If they did, it will be as futile as trying to grow a beard in a moment of passion.

I said that while stroking my bearded chin ;)

It is yet another no-shave November.  Most young men who try to grow one will look at me in envy.  One of those rare moments in life when I will serve as a model ;)

When I am asked about growing a beard, I use the same lines that a late great-uncle did.  He was a bearded man himself.  If people asked him about his beard, he would reply with a snort, "I don't grow a beard.  I simply stopped shaving."

Which is why I like this approach to no-shave November--it is clear that the beard is a result of not shaving.  It is as simple as that.

As a bearded professor, I have more than a passing intellectual interest in beards though.  My curiosity knows no bounds after all.  Like, if only I could recall that exact moment in graduate school when I decided that I would grow one--a beard, that is.  Try as I might, I don't recall.  The few photos are evidence that I have consistently had a beard since sometime in my third year in graduate school.  But, when was that first attempt, and what was my thought process?

Those are the many moments that I seem to have forgotten.  Just like I don't really remember when it was that the first hair on my chest showed up.  When did that happen?  And when did they start turning grey?  Or on the legs?   For that matter, when did the first pubic hair appear?

I wish somebody had told me to remember those historic events in my own life; instead of remembering some random and trivial events of world history! ;)

Source

No comments: