"Good morning! Have I told you lately how much you mean to me? Those are the words I heard The Lord speak to me this morning. I can't tell you in words how that made me feel inside. But I will tell you this, I feel the same about you. You are very important to me, and I am compelled from my heart to tell you so.
I remember many years back how hard it was to let my heart speak freely of how I really felt about someone I loved. Simply because of my image of being a man was so distorted through what I had learned to be acceptable by other men who were always trying to keep any sign of weakness hidden and out of sight. So, I did the same.
The problem with this is, I missed some of the deeper and richer blessings within my relationships, and yes, regrettably I may have missed some of those even with you. That breaks my heart as I consider this even now.
I'm not sure why being vulnerable in a relationship is so scary for men, but just try and get the average man to open up and talk about sensitive issues and he will most generally saddle up the horse and ride off into the sunset looking for a place of solitude.
A man hates being alone but his social skills in the area of vulnerability to be open with everything going on inside is a tall order to tap into. Why? Because he has sealed it up and labeled it, men don't talk about these things. Therefore, his days on earth are filled with loneliness though he may be around those he loves.
And unfortunately, though he hates being alone, his hidden side inadvertently closes him off from the intimate relationships he wishes to have. So what does he do? He goes riding off into the sunset again thinking to himself, one day I'm going to find what I've always been longing for, to love openly and allow someone's love to break down my resistances.
But what he never stops to realize is, intimate relationships require both parties to be open, engaging, and honest to the point of being vulnerable with your deepest thoughts. This is strangely elusive to him because he refuses to open up. The fear of being out of control with his emotions seems to be an attribute of weakness, yet letting go is to finally be free to love openly.
Without this genuine openness, those hidden and fearful things you keep tightly covered up will eventually rob you from ever knowing what it would be like to permanently remove the saddle from your horse, and just sit on the porch holding the hand of that special one as you both watch the beautiful sunset you once rode off into all alone, but now able to share all of your heart with the one you love. Never allow the world to define you into one of its stereotypes. God is love and therefore, you were made to love and to be loved. Don't be afraid of this. I love you dearly." ~Dad~ |
