Yesterday someone said something REALLY powerful to me that I will take with me always. We were talking about how I met one of the men in my mens group. And I shared that we met when I applied to staff an initiation, for young boys, that serves as a rites of passage into manhood. I told him that I was rejected from staffing without even the courtesy of an interview. The man who emailed me, to tell me, was the man who is now in my mens group. He was the Executive Director at the time and did not know me. I found out, through inquiry, that some of the other organizational leaders heard rumors that I was difficult, and so they chose to reject my application without even talking to me about these rumors. This was the man that had to explain all of this to me. I have since sat in circle with this man for many years, co-founded this new mens group with him, and have become good friends. So, after telling my friend the story, I turn to him and ask, Do you think Im difficult? He turns to me and says, Yes. Youre difficult. He then pauses, and says, Thats not a bad thing! Youre a man of integrity. You follow your truth, not the status quo. That is not always easy to be around. He pauses again, and says, Martin Luther King was difficult. He stood up for what he believes in. Another pause, then, I like that you are difficult Tzadik. Keep it up. I started crying. Thanked him. And then we continued with a beautiful afternoon. I have found myself lately settling more and more into conversations like this. I have found my kin. I have found my loved ones. I have found my family. It is good to be seen.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 06:02:05 +0000