It's Not as Easy as it Looks

It's not as easy as it looks. Have you ever said those words? I have-all the time. Chances are that I'm over exaggerating, but sometimes I'm not.

I began my day early this morning. Well, it was early for me at least. By 6:45, I was on the road headed to make a business run to pick up some poinsettias to sell for the Christmas season. As I hopped into the minivan (No, I don't usually drive a minivan, but live poinsettias don't exactly stand up to 70 mph winds on the back of a Toyota pickup that's normally pedal to the metal. So, don't judge me..lol) I tuned in to my favorite morning radio show-The Rick and Bubba Show. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Rick and Bubba show, by all means get out of your "cityfied" hiding place and enjoy the show. They are awesome. If you don't laugh at least once at their crazy stories, then something is terribly wrong. You should see a doctor. Really though, I enjoy listening to the show because they are just a bunch of good ol' boys who love the Lord, love to laugh, and have great stories to tell. Today, however, the best story didn't come from Rick, Bubba, or any of the other folks from the show. The best story came from a guest on the show. The guest was a former service member who lost an arm and leg in Iraq. He told his story and how hard it was to cope with life after his injury. He talked of depression and doubt and how things were difficult for him. BUT...that was only a small portion of what he talked about. He shared how he overcame the depression and doubt and began running marathons and competing in highly physical activities- all with just one arm and one leg. It's not as easy as it looks, now is it? Here's a guy with one arm and one leg who can do things that most people with two arms and two legs never think about doing. He was determined. In addition to his accomplishments in breaking down physical barriers, this guy filled listeners in on how he began dating a girl after becoming disabled. The young lady, also a guest on the show, seemed really "into" this guy-something I found to be pretty interesting. Here's an "average" young woman completely head over heels for this guy- a guy with only one arm and one leg. Make no mistake, the guy was obviously intrigued by her as well. They connected on a deeper level and seemed to look into the heart of one another. This leads me to my first response to the question I posted in the original post from yesterday. What is the "measure" of a man?

Today, I think I learned that part of the "measure" of  a man is not the fact that he has two arms or one. No, part of the "measure" of man is how he deals with life's challenges. Does he allow obstacles to get in his way? A real man doesn't. He pushes through, not only for his own sake, but for the sake of those he cares about.

I also was reminded today that the real "measure" of a man involves how confident he is in himself and how that relates to his relationship with the woman in his life. A confident man does what it takes to be that "knight in shining armor," even if that "knight" isn't exactly the prototype for the position. A confident man knows how to display respect, defend a lady's honor, make her laugh, and help her through life's struggles. So, men be confident in yourself. You can do what you need to do, as long as you try. Ladies, don't settle for less than a confident man- a guy who knows what the true "measure" of a man is and allows you to see into his heart and not just his sunglasses.

Finally, I was reminded that the "measure" of man has nothing to do with whether he has two arms, one arm, or none (I have met a guy who had no arms before and he was absolutely one of the most independent individuals I've ever met.) The "measure" of man has nothing to do with whether a guy is 6 ft 5 or 4 foot 2. The "measure" of a man has nothing to do with whether a man lives in a billion dollar mansion or a 2 room house on an old dirt road. The "measure" of man has nothing to do with whether he drives a Porsche, a minivan, or just a pickup truck. The "measure" of  man has everything to do with his outlook on his own life and those who are closest to him. That, my friends is just a few thoughts from a small town southern man.