The first fact

Life is painful. This is the first fact, sounded at birth in groanings too deep for words. If I don’t know this, I’ll devolve into that most coarsened of figures—the pleasure seeker.

Men in groups

There are two kinds of men’s groups—violent and non-violent.

 OK, so basically just one group.

Man up

Good to keep top of mind: No one gets out of here alive. Things will go wrong.

Hero

“The true man is revealed in difficult times.”

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

It’s when things go wrong that stories are written and movies made.

Good fathers

Richard Rohr says a healthy masculinity incorporates five truths: (1) Life is hard. (2) You’re not in control. (3) You’re going to die. (4) You’re not that important. (5) Life is not about you. This is why boys need godfathers (good fathers). It is mostly the case that strong spiritual direction doesn’t come from dad. That’s not to be regretted. It’s just how it is.