Always impressed…

I have been blown away recently. I have seen men rising to the challenges they face. Recently, on social media, I saw a friend of mine step up to help a girl who had been attacked and assaulted by a group of young men. He is not alone in helping, but he leads other men to do the same.

This young girl was assaulted by a group of teens. People recorded the event and posted it online. The video, though I have not seen it, went viral locally, stirring up conversation from many. Hardly any time passed, and my friend had names of some of the perpetrators and was looking to bring them justice. (He goes about this legally, working with the local authorities.) This is what he does. He and a small group of men step in to help when help is needed. A couple of years ago, they went in search of a missing teen girl. They found her at a local homeless camp and helped her safe return to her family. My friend reminds me of what a man is meant to be. He reminds me that this is the innate nature of most men, just most men have been reprimanded and reproached for decades, making them second guess their desire to help.

My friend also hosts a regular gathering of men, where he creates a safe space for men to talk and just hang out. His group is men only, which creates a safe space for men to be vulnerable. I feel this is important for him to do. My friend leads men to be men, he steps up as a man to protect those weaker and more vulnerable than he is, and yet he still needs the reassurance that he is doing what is right.

This shows me that it is ok to have moments of weakness, moments where you need to be given approval. …and it is OK.