Protect and Provide
Some men say that fatherhood these days isn’t very manly. They say that protecting and providing is mostly about being dutiful and conscientious and conformist. Checking boxes. Change the batteries in the smoke detector? Check. Meet or exceed my management assigned objectives for Q2? Check.
They have a point but only up to a point.
We are currently on a vacation from history in times of record prosperity and safety, but those times are ending. In most times and places provide and protect requires courage, boldness, risk taking, fire, and competence. Those times are coming back
And even now, the apparent ease is a delusion. Sure an eloi dad isn’t manly. That’s because he’s not trying to do anything about the morlocks. If you see with ruthless clarity what needs to be done for you, your children, and grandchildren to thrive as free and flourishing adults or even just for your children and grandchildren to all exist, you can see that it will take all your ambition and reckless passion and cold will and authority and frolic and delight to succeed, and glory awaits.
Inspired by Anne Campbell’s To My Child, here is a poem.
To My Children
You are the Everest that I climb
You are the Matterhorn I make
You are the trophy I raise to the sky
You are the crown I conquering take
Eric
June 21, 2023
As the saying goes,
Great men make good times.
Good times make weak men.
Weak men make hard times.
Hard times make great men.
It’s not difficult to see where we are in that cycle.
E.C.
June 21, 2023
“Courage, boldness, risk taking, fire, and competence . . .”
Well, my youngest brother has the *fire* part down, that’s for certain. Back in March, we got the cops called to our house after he started a bonfire in our suburban backyard using 30+ Christmas trees, tinder-dry. It was quite impressive, and although the fire marshal was NOT happy, the cops were mostly super amused – and grateful that it wasn’t anything serious, just youthful shenanigans.
Thankfully, he also has the other attributes on your list, and so do my older brothers. Now I just need to find a man who’s brave enough to marry into my crazy family!
G.
June 21, 2023
All JG metaphors are metaphorical. Apply literally at your own risk.
Zen
June 21, 2023
I suspect that much of the gender confusion in vogue is because people have no clear idea what true Masculinity and Femininity is. Partly because those don’t properly exist separate from marriage, parenthood, family and priesthood (in the wider sense, where motherhood is also a priesthood duty).
For them, it is a bit like arguing about helphalumps and whoozzles. Who can say if you are right or wrong?
E.C.
June 22, 2023
@ G,
Oh, I love the metaphor. It just tickled me that you used ‘fire’ when it’s been such a prevalent theme in my brother’s life, literally and metaphorically. 😀
seriouslypleasedropit
June 23, 2023
That Anne Campbell adaptation is perfect.