That Mystery Floating Alongside

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  “The side of the ship made an opaque belt of shadow on the darkling glassy shimmer of the sea. But I saw at once something elongated and pale floating very close to the ladder. Before I could form a guess a faint flash of phosphorescent light, which seemed to issue suddenly from the naked body of a man, flickered in the sleeping water with the elusive, silent play of summer lightning in a night sky. With a gasp I saw revealed to my stare a pair of feet, the long legs, a broad livid back immersed right up to the neck in a greenish cadaverous glow. One hand, awash, clutched the bottom rung of the ladder. He was complete but for the head. A headless corpse! The cigar dropped out of my gaping mouth with a tiny plop and a short hiss quite audible in the absolute stillness of all things under heaven. At that I suppose he raised up his face, a dimly pale oval in the shadow of the ship’s side. But even then I could only barely make out down there the shape of his black-haired head. Howev...

Day 2: What Does It Take To Be A Man?

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Many books fill my shelves and if I can't find what I'm looking for, I know where to find more books. Entire rooms and buildings full of individuals speaking their mind on pages. A silent crowd all speaking at once on their subjects.

No matter where I look, I am unable to find a book or passage that adequately says "this is a man."  Is the man a kind of warlord and conqueror? A wild man? Does he suddenly appear on the scene or does he arrive subtly? Does he "bang on his shield," declaring his existence and receive his entitlement or does he quietly and unassumingly work for all he wants or needs? Benjamin Franklin's quest led him to find virtue by imitating Socrates and Jesus--is a man's life defined by what he dies for? It's an age-old question that even Tom Scholz of one of my favorite bands, "Boston" sought to find out (lyrics here):



There must be something more to manhood than being the adult human male. This is why I like Tom's song. 
  • A man must have heart and soul, strength and gentleness, the ability to look ahead and outside himself. 
  • A man must be willing to give and even if there's nothing to receive. 
  • A man knows what he believes, knows why he believes it and speaks with conviction with what he knows. 
  • A man is aware of what he feels as well as what others feel. He empathizes and sympathizes. 
  • A man is more than a biological construct. He is a thinking, feeling soul. 
In short, a man is forward-moving, seeking to better himself and contribute to those around him. 

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