Frank Sinatra. Ernest Hemingway. Derek Jeter. Don
Draper.—oops not a real person.
Those are my role models; none of which are female, which is
how I identify myself I’m not sure if this is relevant. My whole life I have
had and still do have great respect
for men. I am one of those people that say things like: “Take it like a man,”
“Boys will be boys”…
I love how men are tough, smart, confident, strong, decisive,
and the list of positive male related qualities can go on and on. We all know
what qualities are related to men and which negative ones are related to women.
Society has this discreet way of telling us that we aren’t equal to men. It has
been going on for centuries and we are slowly trying to change how women are
viewed—Which is great, I’m all for it. Go women! yadda yadda yadda. But I am
writing this post as a reminder that there are great men out there and I want to be tough, smart,
confident, strong, decisive, and so on just like ME as a human, not like a man. One of my flaws is that I
am/was sexist (I’m changing!)
My flaw comes from the wonderful men that I have had the
pleasure of growing up around, as well as the awesome men that have taught me
and showed me the great things men have to offer. There are some scary men out
there, but I have been lucky to meet some great men.
When you grow up around morally good men, you are left with
hope and a daily reminder that men aren’t the enemy.
My dad, uncles, cousins, male educators, co-workers, are all
men that I’ve been lucky to get to know. Some of these men I have spent much
more time with than others, some were teachers, professors, some are still
growing up some have it together and some have no idea what they are doing with
their lives. These men are all flawed. But it never mattered to me; these men
are good. They are respectful, loving, hard working, confident, strong, angry,
happy, and sad whenever need be. They are humans they are on our side women.
There was never, “women versus men”. Society had a twisted way of making it up,
we all listened and now its time to remember that men and women have always
been in it together.
I have met men that love their wives and partners. That love
their families, men that come home every night and tuck their kids into bed at
night. Fathers that don’t miss a baseball practice or game, fathers that fix
things. Male teachers that are passionate and excited that their students
learn. Men that make mistakes and make jokes. Men that are religious and some
that aren’t. Men that are genuinely good to the bone.
If I will be a strong 20-year-old woman I should also credit
the men around me. Because of them, I know how men should treat me; the men
that helped raise me have respected me and have never made me feel inferior to
them just because I am a woman. I know men that want me to succeed just as they
want their sons and nephews to succeed.
I’ve met men that…
·
“laugh like hell and get good and angry” -Ernest Hemingway
·
men that “do it there way” –Frank Sinatra
·
men that that miss the pitch but keep batting
because they haven’t struck out.
·
And men that “keep it simple but significant”
–Don Draper, Note to self *still not a real man
To the men in my life, Thank You.
"Shattered Glass"- Brad Paisley
“Love
songs don’t always have to be about how pretty somebody is, they can be about
belief and how much you believe in that person. It’s something that I felt my
wife, and really all women needed to hear at the time." -Brad Paisley
Some MEN like Brad
Paisley do actually try to empower women too!
*To all the
girls out there I hope you have some strong respectful men around you.
No one ever said you had to be a man to use power tools. *low key for five min. I considered dropping out of college and thought I should go into the house renovation business.
-Diana
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