Carry the Day

"There is a destiny that makes us brothers, no one goes his way alone; all that we send into the lives of others, comes back into our own.." - Edwin Markham

As men, we isolate ourselves when faced with adversity or struggles. We close down our emotions and dive inward to deal with whatever it is we have to face. It is in this isolation that trouble gains a foothold upon our lives. In the darkness of isolation, nothing good can grow from it.

We can emerge from the darkness when we realize we have brothers to our left and to our right.

- It is okay to have someone help you carry your burden.
- It is okay for you to help someone carry their burden.

In this mutual bond of brotherhood that raises our ability to be much more successful.

Even when things are going great, life can begin to wear on us. The excitement of all that was good can become a distant memory. You will wake up each morning having to face the day full of struggle.

This is the point at which you have a choice to make. Will you draw back into the darkness of isolation? Or will you remain in the light, looking to your brother for support?

Face the day with knowledge that others have their eyes lifted, waiting to carry your burden with you. Face the day with the burning fire of a thousand fires carried with others.

Stay inspired my friends!

Break the Isolation

"Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero." -Marc Brown

Not only do I count my biological brothers, but also other men that stand with me when times are tough and when times are good. As men we tend to isolate ourselves and handle things alone. We need to break the isolation and learn to lean on our brothers. In numbers we have strength and the ability to overcome our struggles.

My own brothers have stood by me, lifted me and corrected me when needed. When we stand shoulder to shoulder, we can overcome any obstacle we might face. So break your isolation and stand with your brothers as we walk this journey together.

And stay inspired my friends.

Stand Against The Wind

Two Trees Diptych by Christina Goodman

“Stand together, yet not too near together; For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.” -Khalil Gibran

Each of us go through seasons in our life. The good ones which spring forth promise of joy and great things. All that happens is good and we seem to float along without a care.

We also have those cold and wintery times when we want to crawl under a blanket and shiver from the seemingly bad that encompasses us. We long for greater things but the darkness of winter never seems to abate.

It is during both the good and the bad that we should never stand alone. As different as we are from one another, we can stand firm for someone in need. And while we wilt against the bad, someone will be there for us.

Women have a very intense understanding of this. But men have a built in belief that it makes them less of a man not to stand alone. We fail to see that other men are going through the same types of issues. We fail to see that it is okay to lean on a brother.

The one which stands alone becomes the easy prey while the ones which stand together are a more imposing force. The Spartans knew this lesson and used it very effectively. When being attacked, they stood together in close formation and their shields became one impenetrable shield.

Then as one they moved against the enemy, one force, one unbroken force that no enemy could stand against. Doing more then one single man could do alone, brother to brother, shoulder to shoulder.

Each of us are different as the trees of a forest can be. But together we can become a wall which breaks the force of the wind. A wind that would try to bend and break us individually can be beaten back together.

Stand with your brother through both the good and the bad. Stand in support of the other when the winds try to break you apart.