Motivation Monday: Love Letter #5 – Measure of a Man

So, I’ve been a mom for 13 measly months.  Basically, I know nothing.  There are days where I wonder what kind of impact I will have on my son. This whole parenting thing has a huge learning curve.  Each and every day, I make a litany of mistakes.   Being a mom requires a ton of responsibility.  Aside from the basics of feeding, bathing, and comforting your little one, you have equally as important things to focus on….such as teaching your child manners, helping him acquire independence, developing a love for learning, showing him the importance of hard work, motivating him to take risks, and the list goes on and on.  Day in and day out, I strive to set a strong example for my son.  Already, in such a short amount of time, I find myself asking the questions: 

Will I bring out the best in him?  

Am I allowing him to be who God made him to be?

Does he know just how much he is loved?

Will I make my son proud?  

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, 

Will he grow up into the man I know he can be? 

So, with  that, I give you….

LETTER #5 – Measure of a Man

My Little Love, 

As you grow up, you will face a lot of pressures from society to be a certain kind of man.  It is easy to have your ideals shaped by what you see and hear through mainstream media and the environment all around you.  The term success can be a bit convoluted.  It can mean many different things to many different people. Throughout the course of your life, you will be flooded with messages trying to convince you that the true measure of a man is:

A man who has a successful job that brings forth a lot of money.

A man who has a large and spacious home.

A man who has fancy possessions (cars, clothes, etc.).

A man who is dominant and holds a lot of power. 

A man who is fearless, strong, and doesn’t openly express his feelings.

A man who never cries.

While many of these things you may have or obtain someday, they are not the true measure of a man.  What will determine your worth and reveal your character are the following:

Pride.  It can destroy your life.  We want to be right. We want to be heard.  We want to be apprecaited.  We want to be noticed.  We want to feel important.  The difference between some of us is how we handle the power we have been given.  We may believe we aren’t like this, but subconsciously we all keep track at certain points in our life. We keep tabs and credit ourselves for the good deeds we perform. Once one good deed is recognized, we quickly expect praise and reward for the rest that follows….for every time we work hard.  We EXPECT to be put on a pedestal for noteworthy performances.  In sports, we get trophies for breaking records.  Our pictures wind up in newspapers and names engraved on plaques. In the workforce, we get promotions and upgraded to beautiful, private offices with our name showcased on front of the door.   We have people working for US.  We delegate tasks and soon fall in love with a thing called power.  It is very easy to belittle others and make people feel inferior when you acquire power and gain control of something.  I want you to always remember that what you do with power can have a huge impact on those around you, both positively and negatively.  The way you handle power and treat those around you greatly signifies the true measure of a man.  Ultimately, you don’t need the accolades or the applause.  You don’t need the audience. You don’t need the attention.  Power and pride can destroy your life if not handled appropriately!

The true measure of a man is not how many medals you’ve earned, how famous you’ve become, the amount of money in your bank account,  the number of degrees you have, or the items you own.