A real man – on Father’s Day
Dear Reader,
It’s tough these days to be a man. In fact, I’m sure there are a lot of boys out there searching to be a “real man” in a world that is an ever shifting ambiguity. I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve had a number of male role models in my life starting with my father who gave me the courage to be what I think is right in a world that judges every day through the scrutiny of many eyes.
Pressing weights, being a ports star, being a fancy dan with the girls, is more a proof of the boy needing to become an artificial man in others’ eyes than being a real man for himself. Personally, I like poetry, I teach children to play chess and I work hard to support my family. Not glamorous to most outsiders, but I don’t measure myself by anyone else’s standards.
Integrity of being is not based on how much one makes or their status in relation to others. No, “Man-ness” is based on strength of character to stand up for principles such as family, faith and flag. “Man-ness” is also based on one’s willingness and ability to contribute to what we are as a whole community.
This may not be the stuff little boys dream of, but it is the foundation of what being a “real man” is all about.
PATRICK J. WOOD
Publisher
Author of “Dear Reader” and “Tapestry of Love and Loss