Rituals and traditions...

After Mom died I made it my tradition to grow a beard as December approaches. On new year's eve, the anniversary of her death, it gets shaved off and I resume normal shaving duties.

Hibernation, cocooning...re-birth.

The idea was inspired by my former boss, a Man who was from Laos if I remember correctly. When his Father died, he came back from his time off with a shaved head and shaved eyebrows.

I'm haven't thought about the logic or symbolism of this tradition, it just feels like the right thing to do.