The question of manhood?
I’ve spent almost the whole of my youth and adult years wrestling with this question. I’ve set it a side at times in favor of focusing on crafting a life for myself or perfecting my art of the written word. But, the question never really goes away or the need to put away childish mindsets for the freedom and some times hardships of being a man.
What brings on these thoughts now in a blog post?
In the continuing series in the Life of A Prince, The Engagement, The Gathering and the last book still forthcoming I’ve written about men of different backgrounds and character traits and shades of masculine natures. These archetypes of manhood didn’t come easy for me to craft into the story in my limited experiences being in the company of strong male figures. Most of my experiences have come from books, observations and analyzing whether or not a male could keep his word or valued his own word because I was also experienced having male figures in my life not keep their promises or word to me.
I grew up for a large half of my life without my Dad’s influences from the age of 11 when my father died of cancer. I have had misty recollections of him when I was a child to this current time and I have struggled at times throughout my life keeping his template in my thoughts. My father was strong of Christian male character and valued physical exercise and loyalty to family and friends. Though, he wasn’t faultless because he was indeed mortal and a man. He had his human pride and anger. He made mistakes and had to learn to be a man without even knowing who his own father was.
We both grew up into adulthood without a father figure in our lives. We both shared that common thread of many black men. Though, my Dad became more of a man much faster then I for whatever strange reason. My lessons came much more harder. Still, this isn’t a complaint. Life isn’t easy or simple and I have never seen any value in complaining about the faults of humans in my life both past and present in falling short of honesty and perfection. What I learned the hard way I hope to write stories and show examples for other young males on the quest for manhood to see and learn from the easy way.
But, I can not finish this post without answering my own question as best as I can. Though, I am still a semi/self taught student of the subject.
What does it mean to be a man?
A man is of a strong moral character. He doesn’t abandon his responsibilities or shrink away from the trials of life. A man faces the challenges of life and strives to overcome no matter his disadvantages born with or thrust upon his body or life. He does not give in to evil but overcomes evil with righteous.
L.M. Parker
