I am 35 years old and I lack the genetics to grow substantial facial hair. Manhood’s right of passage never stared back at me through the mirror. Over the years, this absence of facial hair has left a mark on my character. I like to call it beard envy. Perhaps I should be thankful. It is possible that the ability to look years younger than my age was the trade off. Or maybe that’s just what mothers like to tell their grown children.
Something that I should be thankful for however, is fatherhood, and all of it’s duties. It’s the war wounds of fatherhood that have become my only hope to slice wrinkles on my face, beat my hair gray, and even muscle some hair above my lip. I believe these wounds are starting to show.
With this, I see a light at the end of the tunnel. And it’s motivating me to participate in Movember, a campaign to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer research and other cancers that affect men, by requiring participants to grow a moustache during the month of November, also known as “Movember”. I may not be able to grow a moustache well, but I’ll grow it this month, and I’ll do it with a lot of heart. Prostate cancer affects every 1 in 6 men. I’m sure you’re likely to know of someone who has or had prostate cancer. The extraordinary league of dads that I’ve teamed up with and I encourage you to donate to Movember. Do so in support of men with prostate cancer, men with other cancers, and men’s health in general. You all know as well as I do that we hate going to the doctor.
In the meantime, I’ll post photos of my sweet ‘stache’s progress, or maybe just photoshopped photos, because it’s funnier. But on November 30th, I promise to reveal whatever my measly moustache has become. One thing is for certain, any amount of money I might raise, is destined to be more impressive than the moustache I can grow.