THE ESSENCE OF MANHOOD
By Ronald Yate
When I was a teenager, someone decided that we should no longer be addressed as boys; but rather “Young Men.” None of us had a clue as to what a man does or is supposed to do. We were all being cared for by our parent/parents or grandparents. None of us had a care in the world, nor did we have the responsibility that comes with being a man. Consequently, we equated being taken care of with “manhood.” And the truth be told some of my brothers, who are now adults, are continuing to live the delusion of “being taken care of by someone else” to this very day. Still, without a care in the world, many adult men, are being cared for by a woman, one who sees some unrealized potential in them. But what makes a man a man has nothing to do with the number of women we sleep with, the fanciness of the car we drive, how elaborate the home we live in, our smooth-talking charismatic manner or GQ looks.
What makes us a man is understanding our true nature, information that is usually transmitted from father to son. Unfortunately, in today’s world, many young men have little to no contact with their biological fathers or men, in general, who can school them on the ways and wonders of manhood. For them learning what it means to be a man is difficult to nearly impossible. In many traditions, there was manhood training that taught young men about the responsibilities and realities of being a man, how to care for and protect a woman, a family, and a community. In this 21st Century where confusion and chaos has become the norm, many of our young men barely know how or have access to resources to care for themselves. Their role models and teachers are the streets and social media. Before the exodus of fathers in the home and leaders in the community, my generation was lucky. We had men who taught us what manhood was all about. This exodus of fathers and positive community leaders has created the abandonment of women, children, and communities that has left a void that, for many, seems impossible to fill. Fortunately, there are still some of us who remember what is required to be a man along with the importance, responsibility, and infinite power that comes with this role.
A wise woman, yes fellas that is not a misnomer. Women are blessed with knowledge just as we are, sometimes more so, suggested that those of us who want to be part of a “change for the better” begin using social media platforms as a means of reaching out to other men in search of guidance and positive connections… men who want to understand the realities and strategies of manhood and how to regain the power that comes with this essential role humanity is in dire need of. Nearly everyone has access to the internet. The old methods no longer hold the interest of today’s young men who seem either unable or unwilling to sit still long enough to grasp the information. Whatever works it is imperative that we now shift gears and start moving along the various internet paths where our young men are now traveling… so much is at stake.
The truth is… we have produced generation after generation of young men who have and continue to be discarded by society and other men who have an understanding of manhood and its’ purpose. Although it is rare to find men who will take the time and effort to serve as role models and mentors the time has come for us to reach out and join forces to reeducate and stand strong with one another to bring our young men back into alignment with the role of manhood. Something as simple as telling some of our young men to “pull up their pants” no one wants to see your underwear or the crack of your behind is a lesson that needs to be learned and lived by today’s young men. Another vital lesson it is imperative to teach is how to love, honor and respect our women. We have forgotten that “women are God’s gift to men.” And let’s face it, no one can offer comfort the way a woman can. It is women who can take a small amount of semen and create life… a beautiful child that looks like us and carries our DNA. No one can respect a man who will not defend and honor his woman, or understand the power, purpose, and value a woman brings to his life. Someone once said, “Women represent our future and unless we invest in them our future is as bleak as our recent past.” Until we come to grips with who we truly are, the power we possess, and our role in the life of our women, families, and communities, we will remain on the endangered species list. We will also continue to be viewed as a species who have lost the knowledge of ourselves and is no longer worthy of being viable, visible, and victorious members of the human race.
