Changes

My husband is sporting a beard for the first time since I've known him. Apparently facial hair is not something most women are terribly fond of because the usual reaction of female acquaintances when they see him for the first time is "How does your wife like it?" - said with enough of a dry vocal tone that clearly the expected answer is that I don't. They're more than a little surprised to hear the truth of the matter, which is that I asked him to grow it.

It's strange to me that he never had a beard long enough for me to see him that way before, because I've known him since I was very young and we were, after all, of the "hippie" generation in the late 1960s. Everyone had facial hair in 1969! He claims to have had a beard once but it couldn't have been for long - I think maybe when he was away (supposedly) at college. In any case, I've never known him to be anything but clean-shaven so this is a new and fascinating experience for me.

The truth of the matter is this: in November we celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary. As I thought back through the years I came to the conclusion that it was time for a change. I explained to him that in those 34 years I've been up and down through 4 clothing sizes (more times than I care to remember...), had 4 pregnancies, been through at least 3 hair colors and about a dozen hair styles, and had numerous careers. I'm not the same person he married in any way, shape, or form - and I certainly don't look much like the long-dark haired brunette he met at the end of the church aisle. However, in all these many years he has not changed one iota. He's the same clothing size, wears his hair the same way - although a bit shorter than I like now - when we got married. And in fact has not even had the good grace to have any gray hair at all!

I decided it was time for a change. After all, variety is the spice of life so why not give it a try? So he did.

And for all you ladies out there who question my preference - I like it!