The reality of manhood can be a challenge for most guys.
Unfortunately, this results from growing up without a supportive father, or strong male role models.
Frequently we see young men, many are fathers themselves, trapped in an ever-tightening spiral of despair, poverty and unrealized potential, turn to crime and violence, with incarceration or a body bag all too often the result.
But these frustrations aren’t limited to the underclass.
The seemingly “normal” man locked into a life of stifling complacency, his spirit broken by a demanding “go nowhere job” and overwhelming family responsibility, is also on a slow descent into social oblivion.
Truth can sometimes be a cruel master, but always a great teacher.
Not every male will transform into a strong, functional man. All the well-intentioned advice and programs can’t turn a hard head around.
But I believe you’re an exception, so there’s no excuse for not trying to be your best.
Only you can change your life!
You can’t undo the past, but you can learn from it and create the life you desire.
Recall your youth, think about the father you wanted. Let your imagination go!
Now make a list of the qualities he’d possess. Was he attentive, loving? Confident and reliable? Did he live by a personal code?
Bring him to life!
Study the characteristics you’ve identified; absorb and internalize them.
Be to yourself, and to those under your charge, the father you never had.
Accept responsibility like a man. Live and die on principle.
This means looking inward for answers and keeping your own counsel.
You’re everything you need.
Now celebrate Father’s Day, even if you don’t have children because in your heart you are one.
Later,
Gary
