#12: Things I Adore About Men — That Classy Introduction

I’ve been doing a series of reels on social media on Things I Adore about Men. I talk about all the things that impress me about men and how much I appreciate the tremendous gift they are to my world — and life in general.

Last night, I could barely wait to get home to record the next video. Here’s why.

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The way he introduced himself

I am at a dance studio, waiting for my tango class to begin. I take out a jar of peanut butter to have a little snack and as I do so, a young man walking by notices (if you want to meet men, just eat peanut butter in public — they all love it for some reason) and we strike up a conversation.

We chat for a bit and are having a really fun conversation, so I ask his name. We dance at the same studio, so I’m sure we will cross paths often.

He introduced himself and as he did so, he removed his hat and shook my hand.

I was absolutely floored. Here’s why.

He removed his hat.

This is a very classy move that shows respect. And it’s one that we don’t see very often today. I can’t remember the last time a man did this for me, so I was deeply impressed.

A true gentleman.

I lit up and remarked how impressed I was by him removing his hat as he introduced himself.

And that’s where the story got even better for me.

He proceeded to say that had he not removed his hat, his friends would have come up and smacked his hat right off of his head. They would have said, “What are you doing? You’re being disrespectful.”

Here’s why that impressed me so much.

That means there are still men in this world who are holding other men accountable for treating people with respect and with class.

I want to see more of that in our world.

Whether they are doing it directly or discreetly after the fact, I appreciate that we still have people willing to say, “Hey, that’s not right, we need to be better men”.

Whether one is modeling class and respect or simply reminding others to reconnect with a sadly long-lost forgotten etiquette — I am tremendously grateful for the men who do these things.

It delights me and makes my world a brighter place.

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Here’s why this move matters to a woman

Removing his hat did something else that was important to me. It helped me see who he is — I could see his entire face, his hair, and it let me appreciate the wholeness of his handsomeness in that moment.

But more importantly, when a man shows himself in this way it makes me feel safer and more secure. When meeting a new person, showing your full face seems to suggest that this is someone you can trust.

So a man who removes his hat is showing me who he is, whether I needed to identify him in a police lineup later, or whether he was just letting me see the fullness of his beauty.

Remember, people who intentionally hide part of their face are doing so because they don’t want to be identified (muggers, bank robbers, etc.).

So for me, it lets me immediately relax with the person. I feel safe and secure that I know the person and can recognize them when I see them again — with or without the hat.

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Here’s what shocked me

That guy was only 21. It blew me away that we still have young men in this world who are handling themselves in such a classy and respectful manner.

That kind of tradition and social etiquette has been lost in modern times. And it was so heart-warming to see it happening in a younger generation.

I absolutely LOVE that this 21-year-old guy, and all his friends, are keeping it alive and driving it forward. They will teach their children the same. They will model it for other men. Their actions alone will remind others of what good etiquette truly is.

We need to bring that back in full force.

I’m still smiling today as I think about this story. I’m sure he has long forgotten about me and our introduction. But I never will, and I will keep telling this story and making sure others hear it too.

I celebrate the amazing things good men are doing, because it goes unnoticed and quickly forgotten.

Think about it.

That one tiny action had an incredibly powerful and lasting effect on me.

That is the power of a man who acts with class — and it’s phenomenal.

And anyone can do it. ❤

Want to hear more amazing things that I adore about men? Check out my series of reels on Things I Adore about Men.

🙋🏻‍♀️ I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments — chime in!

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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From The Good Men Project on Medium

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My 9-Year-Old Accidentally Explained Why His Mom Divorced Me

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The Internal Struggle Men Battle in Silence

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