I first grew a beard after I crossed the Arctic Circle the first time in 1972. I had the idea at the time that I had to earn the right to grow a beard and sailing a Navy ship along the Northern coast of Norway seemed like a good reason. The only times I have shaved it since then was for the year I worked for the USINS and once in college on a whim.

The other time was early on in my relationship with the woman who would become my wife. We were living together and she had gone to bed before i got home. As I stood in the bathroom I made a snap decision to shave and see what I looked like. I then went to bed. In the morning my wife-to-be turned over, looked in my direction and shrieked. She was in bed with a stranger. I never shved again until I went to work for USINS. They required a clean shaven face and I had to comply.

Why? Too lazy to drag a blade over my face. Or maybe it's because God put that hair there. Who am I to take it off?