My husband has had a beard since he was 17 or so...there was a brief period once or twice when he shaved for jobs and cut his hair much to my dismay. It was sad because it wasn't really HIM. And he felt very angry, but did it to support his family.
Today, after 25 years together, he has thinning long graying hair, usually in a pony tail, thinning covered by a beret (he is not really vain about thinning hair; he just really likes berets alot; he also has pierced ears and likes to wear interesting earrings).
His beard is long and full and has lots of gray in it too. I love his wild look. It's like being married to the Green Man. And I love his collection of berets: black wool from France, and red velvet and green velvet, and he has brimmed straw hats too for summer. Some day he will have the Benjamin Franklin look and that is wonderful by me.
Our 2 (ages 23 and 18) sons go from totally long hair and beard to very short hair and goatees...rarely do they ever shave clean, but they do make the change in length pretty often just for variety...they get bored with long hair after a while. Our daughter prefers that long haired, bearded, wild look in guys, but has trouble matching up the look with the way of being...someday she will find the right combo.
I am also kind of wild, with gray streaked long wavy, wild hair. We live where it is very cold in winter, so body hair is the layer before long johns! hehehe.
Long ago I intuited that hair is perhaps part of the body's natural filtration system, and must have function or it would not be there. (probabaly TMI but: I can't remember what year I last shaved legs.) And what is with the adults who shave their pubic hair?...If you find the prepubescent body to be attractive... Just seems weird to me, but that is just me, and when you get to know me, well, weird is just relative. (And relatives are weird! hehehe!)
Leastways, in my family, we are all furry (including two dogs and one cat) and happy...Joyce in the mts.
i want my goat back and i get it every monday morning then shave it again. very sad. but in two years it will be there for ever!!!!!!!! woohoo!!!!
; ) ANYWAY, he has a full beard most of the time. He hates shaving, but does because I think he thinks I like it. I am actually ambivilent, but it is scratchy when he is ummm "servicing" me 
: I have asked him about doing a goatee, but he will have none of that...it's all or nothing 
