I was told as a child, ‘A man is nothing without his word.’ I’ve carried that statement throughout my life. On a personal level, I want to be known as an honest man because then I am able to connect with people. I want people to trust me. If I give someone my word, I am promising them that I will follow through with them.

This shows that I take action and am a reliable person to conduct with. My word reflects me as a person. If I am not reliable, if I’m a liar, a cheat, a backstabber; then that becomes my character, which seeps in to the rest of my life.

The imbalance in body structure; bone density, distribution of muscle; means men were evolutionarily designed to protect the innocent. It’s the greatest story ever told about men.

Thinking about all the turning points of history, they hinged on the ability to make a claim that was so powerful, the masses followed with fervor. Recent history is an example of those that wielded the pen to sway the downtrodden to rise up and overthrow their oppressors.

It was this ability to connect with the heart, that caused empires to fall.

In the face of depravity, genocide, and nuclear annihilation; there is the urge to declaw humans, making them harmless to the world. Life is not a fairy tale. Life is actively trying to kill man. There are always those that lurk in the shadows, ready to strike those that are innocent.

Being harmless means you are useless. A useless man is a dangerous man. Being a capable monster means you can deter the monsters that lurk in the shadows.

If we look upon the landscape of history, it is littered with mad men whom were so unpredictable, they wielded the ability to keep the peace. It was their ability to project strength, that those weakest, were dissuaded from causing trouble.

This makes sense. If a jacked criminal stared you down, any sensible person would think twice about causing trouble for him. It’s the interesting characteristic about strength. The risk is not worth the attempt, and so peace is maintained.

To master the mind is the greatest feeling of victory a man can have. To command power over the ego, reject the primitive feelings of antiquity; and enlighten oneself, grants a life that is filled with meaning and achievement.

Vice serves to denigrate the soul, corrupt the mind, and poison the body.

To encounter the unknown on your own terms, is courage. Courage is not blind bravery, but the knowledge that I am scared; but I must face this fear. To understand the risk and still take the leap, is a measure of a man’s courage. We take these risks all the time. Applying for a new job, moving to a new place, having a first child, asking the woman out, running into battle. It is the acceptance of that fear, and still having the courage to act.

Charlie Chaplin once said, “A day without laughter, is a day wasted.” Albert Camus identified the absurdity of life, and recommended facing it. It does seems at times, life is joke. So many things can go wrong, all at once, in fact. Instead of wallowing under the sorrow, we can choose to laugh at it.

Laughing in the face of something that aims to bring you down shows control over it. It shows that we have power over it, and not the other way.

Love is a two way street. We can love those that love themselves. Blind love acts like an over generous mother. One that coddles the infant because it can do no wrong. An adult can do everything wrong, and in exchange; needs guidance. We do not have to love everyone because not everyone will love us.