Doing it right

I had the honor of taking the other car to get new tires today. Luckily, no rain nor flat tires were involved. As I was waiting, I walked up to a local fast food restaurant to study for a bit and grab a bite to eat. As I was there I noticed something that melted my heart. There were a group of four older men eating together. This isn't abnormal. Usually they are with their wives or something, but there was just something about this group of men. They were probably about 75 years old, possibly widowed as none of them were wearing wedding rings. I listened (ok, eavesdropped) on their conversation a little and heard them talk about fun things they had done together. I didn't get the feeling this was an uncommon occurrence, them getting together for breakfast. What struck me, was the feeling I had about them. I could feel their strength. They lived through a time when the world was much different, men were much different. I see a lot of men wanting to become like them and I love it. I think our society has allowed men to soften, to become emasculate. This is not what our society, or our women, need. These men had more than likely been in war, seen things that our minds don't want to imagine. Men in that generation are reverred and rightfully so.

What also struck me was how men get it right. Women, myself included, tend to dwell on the little things, the things that don't really matter. Women seldom slow down to breathe. I'm not a mother but based on how busy I feel now, I can only imagine how frazzled I will be then. We need to slow down. We need to let the kitchen be messy, the laundry unfolded, as long as it leads to the things that are important. Sunggling on the couch with your love, even if it invovles watching 3 months of playoffs. Coloring with your kids, or friend's kids, even if it means it isn't in the lines. I am really bad at this. I feel like I need to be doing something, anything to be useful. I gauge myself on how much I get done, or how clean my house is, or how much I make. WHO CARES???? In the end, only me. And that is not how I want to live. I want to live based on how He would care. I will fail, but I will try.

So as these four men left the restaurant with their coffee and smiles, they did another thing surprising. They got into the same car. Even if you are a strong man, its ok to depend on someone else to help you get where you are going. Cause none of us can do it alone.