I was going to write ‘M stands for Muse’, but this struck me on the way home. The term ‘masculine’, in strict dictionary definitions, means: Of or relating to men or boys; male.
In today’s society, among certain groups, it means men who don’t wear pink, or cook, or enjoy crafts (of any kind!), or who take hot bubble baths… the list truly is endless. And stupid. That’s right, I said stupid. Who, exactly, gets to decide what is masculine enough and what is too ‘girly’ to be masculine? Are tears in a man or a boy too ‘girly’ to be tolerated? By that standard, my father wasn’t a ‘real’ man because he had no shame in his tears. My brother in law falls in the same category because he wears pink dress shirts. My husband, the father of my two boys, cooks… so he must not be a man.
A man, a true man, is known by the strength of his convictions and his character. Masculinity does not abuse. Period. Whether it is a fellow man, woman, child or animal. A real man lifts up, never puts down. A real man understands that working inside the home can be just as difficult as holding down a job which issues a paycheck. He is not tight fisted with a compliment and showing affection to those he loves.
A masculine man should not be defined by whether he wears certain colors or enjoys watching sports. He should be defined by what he carries inside himself and by how he treats others.
Shanti Krishnamurty 