The Manly Man. Man is never so manly as when he feels deeply, acts boldly, and expresses himself by making an egg with swiss cheese benedict for breakfast, showing his strength by lifting a 1100lbs trailer, swatting wild spiders with cobwebs out of the way, and raising his 106lb woman over his shoulders. I am not sure whether or not it is watching him perform domestic duties or getting a sneak peak of his defined herculean muscles catches my attention. I will have to admit, The Manly Man is definitely well-built eye candy!
In 48 hours, I learned a few things about The Manly Man:
1) Protect what is yours. This means a man should always take care of his friends and family, as well as protect them against physical harm.
2) Give respect where it is due. This means treat others with common decency, but reserve respect and admiration for those that have earned it.
3) Do your best. Always. No matter what a man does, he does it to the best of his ability.
While growing up, I have always wanted to date someone stable and knew what he wanted. Someone inter-independent (independent and team player). A modern manly man. I signed up for online dating five years ago and learned that no one is really interested in a serious monogamous relationship anymore. If you try to talk to someone at a coffee shop or at an event, they look at you as if you have three heads. You are suppose "shop" and see multiple people simultaneously and keep it casual. No one wanted to get serious.
I met The Manly Man almost sixteen years ago. He was nice. One could even describe his hair to be like bear's fur, mind as being whip-smart, and physique in full bloom. He appeared to be someone that I could enjoy being with. His energy was comforting. He just seemed normal and was fun to interact with. He never asked me out. We were both stressed out with our professional studies and did not exercise the possibility of dating.
Recently, our paths crossed again. He asked me to accompany him on a road trip. He wanted to show me some of his favorite places on the island as well as share his vision for the future. I wore my new rain boots. It was a beach date, so I did not want to be overdressed, but I wanted to impress The Manly Man, especially if we were going to stay in a cabin by the ocean.
It was all uphill from the time we started the drive to our destination to the time we got home. The Manly Man impressed me. He showed me all of the capabilities of what makes a man manly. He was a rough diamond. It was unbelievable! I could not tell if he was reading my mind or someone was feeding him lines. His vision was very similar to mine. Who he was on the beach date was the same guy the I met sixteen years earlier in college. He was right in front of me and I did not even know it!
So, I asked him to be my date at the Fairmont Empress Pride and Prejudice Spring Ball in April 2020. I knew that I would be seeing The Manly Man again.
Be you brave and true of heart,
Let honor guide you as you roam,
Let no concern betray your quest,
For that home to call your own.
The moon and sky must kiss the stars,
The shores caressed by sea and foam,
Let your gentle spirit guide you,
If the wandering path seems far,
together we will find that home