Feelings/Grief/Manhood
Sadly we live in a world where we still have much to learn about how we approach, allow, and understand men and their feelings. Our ignorance and aversion to gaining deeper and deeper insight continues to promote a society where men stuff it and compartmentalize to hide things away.
“We’re supposed to go it alone. Don’t ask for help. If you cry about something, you’re weak. I’ll give you something to cry about. Don’t ever let them see you sweat. Boys don’t cry. Be a man about it.” Do I need to go on?
We’re doing better but men, young men, and boys need models, support, and resources to allow themselves to be full spectrum beings. The truth is that we’re similar in our needs as humans. We hurt. We’re scared. We experience despair when we lose someone close to us. Something inside all of us yearns for the catharsis and release from being bound up internally and in pain.
Here’s a little tidbit about that special group of similar sensations and emotions; grief, sadness, and depression. These have a special connection and they’re completely natural. *A special note about depression* Depression is a psychiatric diagnosis in western medicine and can require medication to intervene. The depression I’m referring to is the depressive state we find ourselves in from emotional or psychic fatigue. It also comes from the need to put some soul dollars back in the bank after high output at spiritual levels.
When we want something and don’t have it, we feel sad. When we lose something and it’s important to us, we feel sad. When the loss or death we experience has to do with a major facet or components or our lives; like losing our job, our home, someone important to us dying, we experience grief.
These experiences are way too often done alone with males because it’s risky, scary, and abnormal for men to share that with other men. I’m doing my part to change this in society because I’ve experienced both sides of this. I’ve had support when I needed it and I’ve gone it alone. Having support is much better.