On growing a beard

Well, beard (or , for that matter, the mustache) is a natural consequence of getting into 'adult-hood', just the effect of those hormonal changes that according to one my friends is like "maila chiraghan" (of Lahore)---considering that there is rapid and great activity of so many changes in the human body, under the effects of various hormones.
But keeping a beard can also be indicative of being a Muslim, (like hijab of women) even though Jews do it too. Leaving aside the psychological, religious, philosophical or other -ogical remarks, I have my personal experiences to share with you (No doubt prompted by Shabana's hijab experience, but I had that in my mind for a long time, almost 27 years)
So when I stopped shaving beard on the second of Ramadhan in 1981, it was not just to be 'cool' or being 'modernist' butit was a well thought out project and preplanned. I had a lot of gray hair (actually white) on my head and I knew that beard is going to be 'white'
I attended a wedding in Pakistan in April (4th of my nephew and niece), after which I wanted to grow it and what other time would be better than the holy month of Ramadhan.
It started like this. In 1977 I had started reading (seriously) the life history of the prophet SAWS some by Muslim Authors and some by the non-Muslims ones. (May be at least five or six different ones, including M. Shibli N'umani's, which was a treat indeed) and the more I reflected on his life events (each writer has his own way of telling the event which remains the same) the more I fell in love with him (I know we are all supposed to love him) and somehwere along the line, at some point I started feeling an irresistible urge to grow beard and it was becoming more and more difficult for me to shave every day. (I'll leave this feeling to you to analyse but I am just being plain about exactly how I felt). I really heaved a sigh relief when I stopped shaving.
In that year I also performed my Hajj and so many people thought I did it because I was going for Hajj and that after that "fareedha" I should restart shaving. That is the first comment.
Other comments
"You want to look like Muhammad" (My friend and beighbor who was Jew)
"Mubarak ho Ahmad Bhai" (One community Muslim sister)
"You look like (the surgeon general), Dr. Everret Koope (Spelling?)"
"Are you trying to look like (the country singer) Kenny Rogers" (If I am not mistaken about the name, he had grown beard and had lot of hair on his head too)
"Hav'nt you lost a lot of weight, for a Santa" (Some passerby during Yuletide)
"A'int you wearing wrong colored suit,sir?" (I was wearing blue suit during Christmas time)
"Shave it now, I feel hesitant in introducing you as my classmate" (makes me look older?)
On 25th anniver. of my graduation I was strolling with other of my classmates in Bagh-e-Jinnah and somebody remarked' "Aisa lagta hai keh master saheb apni class ko liyay ja rahay hain"
"Aajkal darrhi rakhnay ka rawaj ho giya hai" (Onr of my bearded friends)
"Hey! that is a nice beard you have" and this or similar remarks I have been recieving about it ever since and from persons representing all ages and both sexes and in all kinds of situations. For example in my recent travels somebody walking down in the busy terminal looked at me and with his hands made some indication of my beard and smiling with a thumb-up sign (maybe he thought I did not understand English)
My beard can be almost like a "Rorschach test"