It's no secret that the men with long, full beards put a lot of time and effort into growing them, grooming them, and of course loving them. That's right, I guess I can't speak for everyone but I love my beard. In many ways, perhaps like the dwarf Gimly from Lord of The Rings, it's my identity and my very manhood. Naturally the crowning achievement of any beard-grower is to grow their beard more fully and more thickly. You know, fill in the gaps. So why is this so important? Let's look at a few reasons to start.
My Beard Is a Status Symbol
Ok I know we shouldn't take facial hair so seriously, but the fact is having a beard is a many thing. It's aggression, strength, competition, and ego all rolled up into one. It's all of man's favorite things rolled up into one, solidifying our status on top of the food chain. A thick, long, full beard shows other people that we mean business. Not to mention it's a proud achievement, growing a beard like this is no easy task.
The Ladies Love it (sometimes)
Technically, according to a study published in the Oxford Journal of Psychology most women prefer a man with a smooth clean shaven face. You'd be surprised to know from anecdotal evidence that there are still plenty of women around who love it. In some ways I think shows a sign of strength and confidence.
It's Part of an Old Rite of Passage
I like to think of facial hair as steps in a great journey as we go through life. All of us men remember when we we're boys and discovered our facial hair for the first time. It started with a little peach fuzz, then came the first shave, and the hair grew like a spouting forest to spread to our chins and cheeks. Each further growth of hair was like a step on the journey into adulthood and maturity. Now that my beard has reached its prime in fullness and thickness it's as if I've finally reached the mountain top in my latter years. Every time I see those awkward gaps and lines finally filling in, I know I've finally fully matured into a wise, distinguished old fellow. It's a good feeling.
It's Distinguishing and Refined
When you see a guy with a little stubble you think someone's been too lazy to shave. When you see someone with an uneven, mismatched beard you think of someone who doesn't know how to shave. Then you see a man with a full beard and you know that strength and virility can be found beneath that hairy face into his still heartily drumming heart. It brings a certain level of refinement compared to the old, patchy beard that once stained the face and now adds a distinguishing feature that hints not only strength and aggression but refinement of a higher kind of class.
