Marriage Mondays
December 17th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Something for the Ladies
Can I tell you ladies something?
I have this vivid memory of a moment when I was about six years old. I was walking along with some others when I caught in my periphery a reflection of myself in a glass storefront. Letting my companions walk ahead, I stopped and turned to look at the boy who stared back at me. And a singular thought: “I don’t ever want to get older than this.”
In men, this longing to be a boy dies a reluctant death. We play games as long as our bodies will allow. Speaking of games, go to a golf shop and you’ll see the same expression of wonder and longing that you’ll see across the way on the faces little boys at Toys R Us. Like we used to back in the day, we still need to go “run around” with the boys once in awhile – you know, “fart around” and get some laughs. For the life of us, we can’t remember little errands. And yup, the same dude who’ll duck tape a severed finger will whimper like a toddler when hit with a little fever. Boys will be boys, right?
All this is infuriating for you ladies. “Grow up!” You see, you ladies can’t understand all this nonsense ’cause you all aren’t anything like us. When you women became women, that was that. No looking back. Why would you ever want to be a little girl? In fact I think most of you couldn’t wait. You played “Mommy” and fantasized about your wedding day. A Princess and Prince Charming. Boys are Peter Pan oblivious to the existence of “Wendy”.
Regardless of our differences, you’re right, it is an ugly thing when a man fails to become a man. Agreed. There will likely always be a boyishness in a man, but a man he must become. Now, the thing I wanted to tell you ladies is that the temptation will be to try to thrust your husband into manhood by nagging him, frowning upon his games, his friends. By pestering him. Don’t do it. It will not work. I wish I can tell you that if you do not nag, he’ll snap into manhood. I really do. I can’t. What I can say is nagging, though it may seem like the only course of action available will not work. That unpleasant sound will not call him into manhood.
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