…and How you Carry it
No, I’m not talking about what’s between your legs, although that is part of this discussion. What I’m talking about here, boys, is the very fact that you are males and what the means. So what does it mean? It means that you have a certain role in this world, and with that role comes certain responsibilities. No two men are alike, and thus the roles and responsibilities of all men vary widely. You will find your exact role and responsibilities as you mature, each experience shaping you in some way.
The common thread amongst all men is that you’re meant to uphold the world in some way. No matter what your specific chosen role and the ensuing responsibilities are, you will be holding on your shoulders some aspect of existence. Whether that’s your spouse, your children, your extended family, your work, your neighborhood, your city, an idea, a theory, a whole nation, whatever—your being will be foundational.
This is not to say that without your support the rest of the world cannot survive. So long as everyone is doing their part, supporting whatever portion of our great fabric they’re meant to support, the world still turns. But remember: if you give up, if you decide not to use your inner strength to hold your shoulders strong for all, you give up on your fellow man and woman.
This all sounds simple and easy. Find something and hold it up. Everybody, man and woman, find something and support it. Yes, all of that is fundamentally true, but the mark of a man is how he does it. Carrying something is one thing, but how you carry yourself in doing so is another thing all together. How you comport yourself is the true test. You could only be holding up a pebble your entire life, but it’s the way in which you do it that demonstrates your decency.
You’ll hear the phrase that people carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. That’s not what this is about. No man can or should carry such weight. When you use your strengths to contribute, it tells others that you will support them, and thus that they will be empowered to support you in return. This is part of the decency I mentioned. If you’re pushing upward, they will reach outward. This is the essence of your manhood.
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Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash