Defining

One of the largest themes of my life has been more of a question: What is a man? After humpteen years of reflecting I think I've finally come to a little bit of a revelation. I'm coming to see that I've had a pretty consistent idea of how a man is defined all along - an adult male possessing integrity, strength (primarily non-physical), open-minded, gentle, firm, assertive, discerning, wise, a balance of quiet and out-spokenness, genuine, appropriately vulnerable, and intentional. More could easily be added, but that captures the essence for me.

I'm finding the uncertainty that filled most of my question really has had more to do with, "What is masculine?" than "What is a man?" I think the above definition of man is similar cross culturally where as masculinity often looks very different among cultures. I'm still very confused on what it is to be masculine, or rather what type of masculine I want to be.

Maybe a good reframe for me would be seeking to be manly - as related to the definition of a man above - rather than seeking to be masculine.

~Father, bring clarity. Let me seek your image more than my own.