A Man Amongst Men
An Elegy And A Wish in Honor of Men’s Health Awareness Month
My Uncle Andrew wore the best mustache. Clean, meticulously trimmed, and often with a waxed and twisted tip on each end. It matched his thick head of left-parted, always-styled hair. It was his signature look, and I can’t think of a time when I saw him without it.
This past weekend, I returned to my home state of New Mexico to honor his life after he recently passed at 84-years-old. The pictures and slideshows on display throughout the weekend were a timeline of his always well-groomed look.
But handsome looks weren’t his only worthy trait. The hair and mustache were part of the finished touch. Fitting for a man who was a master carpenter with an eye for perfection, his ability to build truly anything from scratch, his gift from God.
Saying goodbye to this fabled man reminded me how important the role of men—good men—play in the lives of not only their loved ones, but in the world at large. A man who contributes to his world and the world around him in seen and unseen good ways is often a blessed and healthy man, whose presence is what helps keep the world moving in a stable order.
Men are workers and fixers and problem solvers by nature, and as we dedicate our lives to these ways of being, we leave imprints of our efforts everywhere. When we pass, it’s as though these things are evaluated, although in the end, there is no such thing as a scorecard. Celebration should be the main objective.
And celebrate we did, as well as grieve. Two, both truly healthy ways to take care of our health. Celebrating the life of my uncle reminded me how important it is that men take care of themselves, and live life to the fullest. Do your best, and your most, and take the failures and setbacks that come along with it.
This weekend reinforced the necessity of embracing and letting go.
Making room and gathering in.
Celebrating and grieving.
For all men, I want you to have what you most want, which, I hope is your happiest, healthiest life, whatever that looks like, whomever it’s with, and wherever you are. I wish you a life to celebrate every day, and one to celebrate long after you’ve gone home.
Health is all we have, so embody ALL of your masculinity, and let the laughter and tears flow, get to fixing and breaking things, and let that mustache grow
In honor of Andrew D. Garcia, 1940-2024
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