Now It's Your Turn

Please help me populate a page on the Man-Making website titled: Men's Stories about Man-Makng. I want to profile some of those amazing moments when you, as a man, had a positive and transformational impact on a young male.

It's sometimes easier to tell the story about when you were positively impacted by an older man. ALL men have those stories if they look deep enough, and they are still collecting them if they're lucky. I have a place on the website for those stories too. But this time I'm asking for something harder . . . recognizing your own man-making power.

Maybe it was when you were a coach, a volunteer, something you did in your spiritual community, an experience with young male relative, and exchange with some guys in the "hood," or just hanging out when there were boys around. When did you compliment a young dude on his clothing, show a kid how to do something, lead an adventure, or role model picking up some trash or otherwise do the "right thing" in front of some young guys? Tell me about the "small" things you don't think are worth mentioning, like complimenting a kid once when he made a hot skateboard move, or when you simply said, "hey guys," to a pack of young males passing you at the mall.

I know that there have been those moments for you and each one makes a small but positive difference in a boy's life. It would make my day to have to post one little story from each of almost 500 readers.

If nothing comes to mind, take a risk. Go do something today and then write and tell me what happened. Tell me what you saw in the eyes of the boys and how it made you feel. You have man-making power and potential, go use it.

Now it's your turn.

PS: Do boys a favor and share this blog with some good men you know. We need an army.

Men as Predators

OK, I'm angry. This article in the September 6th Wall Street Journal, titled Avoiding Kids: How Men Cope With Being Cast as Predators, will help you to understand just how bad it is for men who are considering becoming mentors. It's an enormous tragedy that when we are suffering from an epidemic of under-male-nourished boys, men who ARE motivated to help have to be careful about how they show their interests. It's a twisted world.

I'm curious to know how male readers feel about being a man after reading this article. You can share your thoughts by clicking on "Comments" below.