HELLO!

“You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard.” Leviticus 19:27

So now that no one tells me about my crooked stole (I stopped wearing it, as it was a distraction, more people commented on my stole than my sermon), the new question is “why the beard?” When I hear that comment, I immediately think of the 2019 NBC interview with David Letterman, as he too had grown a beard. Letterman explained he grew the beard simply because he was tired of shaving. When pushed further on the new look, Letterman turned the tables and quipped, "Well, you tell me what's the deal with your toupee". I am tempted to do the same.

In the interview, I heard David Letterman express himself in ways that resonated with me. He grew his beard because, “He spent decades shaving daily for television and decided stopping was the very first perk of retirement.” With retirement two years away, I decided to give this look a try and I am liking it so far. “Rebelling against critics: Letterman noted his wife and son both hated the bushy, snow-white look. He admitted the more people begged him to shave, the more he wanted to keep it.” Same for me. My wife Kim does not like the beard, no one does. And…I don’t care. Not a bit. Our culture is so obsessed with how we look, how other people look. I note the disturbing news that many young people are having cosmetic surgery to look more like their ideal. When I watch YouTube programs on my television the ads are almost all regarding appearance, anti-aging, looking young. I note, “youthfulness” does not seem top of mind when it comes to walking, being physically active (unless it is joining a gym again to find one’s ideal look. I am comfortable looking older, and I hope in some small way, others may feel likewise.

If you are like me and not interested in why someone would grow a beard, I am sorry for wasting your time reading this blog. But as I have learned, most people are not like me, and they do ask about why others grow a beard. Life is varied, surprising, and often mysterious. Go figure.

Peace, Kevin