Thanks Boeman. My Dad didn't grow even a moustache until after I had a beard, and then he kept a trimmed stache almost 20 years until he passed away. Never told me if I had inspired him, but I like to think my courage to beard had some part in it.

The reaction of family and friends to a suddenly shorn face can be highly dramatic and perhaps even traumatic, as you experienced yourself. A beard grows gradually to become a substantial part of the identity of the man, and its sudden demise can seriously challenge how others perceive us. In many cases, the furless face has been long forgotten, and its reappearance can be startling, as if a total stranger has usurped one's rightful place. The "24-hour rule" has benefits to more than just the beard bearer.