I guess I grew up in a time and place where the stereo typical trend was to bring up a tough, strong and independent lad, one that easily stood on his own two feet.

I can neither say this is a right or a wrong method of bringing up a child, I am no expert on raising kids, but I can say that in my own circumstances it taught me to bottle a lot up, taught me to keep a lid on my emotions , how to hide my thoughts and feelings and I'm pretty sure now looking back that this is not a very healthy thing to do.

Keeping stuff hidden, being too stubborn to seek help to deal with stuff is not such a wise way of living. We are not built or equipped with the knowledge or mental tools to deal with some of the stuff life will throw at us, and when we don't seek to deal with these things, when we choose to just bury them instead of confronting them and working them out, when we choose to find solutions to problems on our own we fall into a trap of isolation.

When you hide behind this outward image of strength, the typical macho man who is not shaken by anything, and this is an image you've portrayed for years past, it becomes really difficult to suddenly allow yourself to display a weakness, a vulnerability. It's as though you are admitting to the world your not quite the man it thought you were.

Is this a human flaw, or is this a trap that society has created? Expectation set in a mould that possibly is neither healthy nor conducive to the development of a balanced individual?

Maybe it's ok for men to show a softer, gentle, compassionate side. Maybe it is ok to be emotional. Hey maybe it is even alright to shed a tear every now and then.

I have found that peoples perception of the male of our kind vary from place to place, culture to culture, and as generations become more adept at accepting the complexities of our make up as human beings.

That is not such a bad thing. I hope that future generations of men never have to face the uncertainty or isolation of creating a self image of being too strong for your own good. I pray that the men of tomorrow are allowed to be the kind of man they really are and not bullied into being the kind of man a society imagines he should be.

Thought for today - "He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened" - Lao Tzu

Song for today - Lifted by The Lighthouse Family [media=]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWMoeQR1LJ8[/media]