So just last night at a friend's 70th I got into conversation at different points during the evening with people I had not met before as we shared our connections to the birthday boy. This led me to say how the parents of the man's wife and of his own parents were among the more important of the models (mentors) available to me as I entered my adult years - not having had my own father (killed in a car accident when I was just two) and followed some years later by a step-father consumed by his own PTSD/trauma and angry alcoholism - into exactly the theme of this essay - how to be a man. People - older, significant in some way - who see something within us and they don't let it pass unremarked - they show interest - and approve - offer encouragement - build up! And we, me... in turn - play our part - as teachers or seniors or parents - as the chance comes to us to be the guide into being the guide, the role model - of generosity, kindness - of strength of positive character.
So just last night at a friend's 70th I got into conversation at different points during the evening with people I had not met before as we shared our connections to the birthday boy. This led me to say how the parents of the man's wife and of his own parents were among the more important of the models (mentors) available to me as I entered my adult years - not having had my own father (killed in a car accident when I was just two) and followed some years later by a step-father consumed by his own PTSD/trauma and angry alcoholism - into exactly the theme of this essay - how to be a man. People - older, significant in some way - who see something within us and they don't let it pass unremarked - they show interest - and approve - offer encouragement - build up! And we, me... in turn - play our part - as teachers or seniors or parents - as the chance comes to us to be the guide into being the guide, the role model - of generosity, kindness - of strength of positive character.
Your grand-father Noel Hogan was among those model-mentors, by the way...