The concept of growing out my facial hair for a month is new and strange to me. I grew it out a couple of years ago to see how it would look, and I quickly realized that full facial hair was not my thing. But it did result in my philosopher goatee, perfect for stroking sagely whilst pondering deep questions such as “Where shall we eat?”

I canvass part-time right now for a wilderness organization, so personal appearance is kind of important to me right now. I’m also looking to be hired for another part-time job, so I don’t want to look too shaggy. It would be nice if I could shape it and keep it tidy, but that kind of defeats the purpose. I’m supposed to be doing this in acknowledgment that God’s creation is perfect, not because God’s creation is good but would be better with just a little bit off around the edges. It also symbolizes my place in the Sikh religion, and doesn’t allow me to just blend in with my peers.

However, this is a new and invigorating experience and though it seems daunting I am looking forward to it. It won’t be the first time I will be required to grow a beard. I shall be repeating the process in October when we get to Islam, as they have the same prohibition.

I wanted to post some pictures of my ever-increasing stubble, but my camera is somewhat busted and I’m not happy with how they are turning out. Perhaps I’ll get Andrew to take some of the both of us. He is the resident photographer-person, after all.