I recently had a wise man graduate from group therapy. He was always wise. All I did was remind him of who he was. In his final notes (a part of the right of passage) for the group he spoke of how when he came into therapy he worked 80 to 90 hours a

week – today he works less than 50. And he now earns 2.5 times what he did when he came into therapy. Much more importantly he is a much better husband and father. His marriage has a richness and a level of intimacy that was unknown to him – he had not seen anything like it in his family of origin.

This man’s dyslexia did not stop him from becoming a quietly successful senior executive, nor did it stop him from typing five pages of eloquent notes that summarised his life-changing journey. There were many gems, but i want to share this ode to men by  Jacqueline Marie Griffiths that he gave us:

The strength of a man

The strength of a man isn’t seen in the width of his shoulders.
It’s in the width of his arms that encircle you.

The strength of a man isn’t in the deep tone of his voice.
It’s in the gentle words he whispers.

The strength of a man isn’t how many buddies he has.
It’s how good a buddy he is with his kids.

The strength of a man isn’t in how respected he is at work.
It’s in how respected he is at home.

The strength of a man isn’t in how hard he hits.
It’s in how tender he touches.

The strength of a man isn’t in the hair on his chest.
It’s in his heart, that lies within his chest.

The strength of a man isn’t how many women he’s loved.
It’s in being true to one woman.

The strength of a man isn’t in the weight he can lift.
It’s in the burdens he can carry.