I am a man. I do manly things like watch sports, play sports, and fart. When I hurt my finger with a hammer, I must be strong in the face of adversity and not cry. I am supposed to be a leader. I am also supposed to be a warrior for truth, virtue, and the American way.
I am a husband. I care for my wife, provide a living for us. I open doors for her when we are out together. I defend her honor when it has been besmirched. I protect her from harm, both physical and emotional.
I am not a father, yet. I hope to be some day. I will provide a living for my child. Feed them, clothe them, and teach them to be upstanding citizens and how to ride a bicycle.
The call of duty is a little bit daunting.
Sometimes I just cannot handle the pressure.
You know what I mean, right? Guys? I know that I am not shooting in the dark here.
Every guy deals with the call of duty in a different way. Every man’s breaking point is different. What do you do when you feel your breaking point coming on?
In the video A Tale of Two Brains a comedian talks about the Nothing Box. Men will put themselves in the nothing box so that they can escape the pressures of the world. You know the nothing box, you’ve been there. You come home from work, sit down and relax and just do…nothing. Your wife comes in and starts talking to you and you don’t hear the first three sentences because you are in another state of consciousness. It’s not because you’re stupid, you just need to shut down for a little while.
Eating and drinking. While women are more traditionally associated with emotional eating, men do it too. A bratwurst, a soda, and an enormous piece of chocolate cake definitely make me feel better when I am down.
Perhaps you have a Mancave? A certain friend of mine does. Many guys wish that they had a room with a giant TV, a video game console, a pool table, a dartboard, and a mini fridge. When my friend locks himself in his mancave, he’s shut away from the world and no one can bother him. He comes out refreshed.
Maybe you like to hit things. Hit a baseball, hit a golf ball, hit a roadside construction barrel, hit another MMA fighter in the face, or just hit the road. Whether you prefer to punch, kick, or swing a bat, it seems like hitting things is a nice way to deal with your frustration and aggression.
Enter another world. Video games like Halo 3, World of Warcraft, Call of Duty 4 all count. So does reading a great escapist novel like anything by David Baldacci, Tom Clancy, Terry Goodkind, or Dave Barry. There are also movies like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Rambo, or Terminator. It is nice to get away for a while.
So, what do you think? What’s your breaking point, and what are your escapes?
Tagged as:
Masculinity,
men
