Quote of the day: "Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting a particular way... you become just by performing just actions, temperate by performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave actions."- Aristotle

     The concept of responsibility is foreign to many; not in definition, exactly, but in reality. Responsibility can take many forms, obviously. Someone may be entirely accountable with property, but not relationships, or vice-versa. The most responsible person you know may have one glaring deficiency that makes them seem almost reckless. Conversely, a person may be quite irresponsible in many areas of their life, and truly shine in one particular situation. Being a man, for instance.

     It's a truly subjective term, 'being a man.' One man may define his 'being a man' in his willingness to call up another and scream obscenities over the phone, hurl insults, and make empty threats. Another man may define his 'being a man' as holding himself accountable for the lives and welfare of those he loves, whether or not they are his offspring, significant other, and so on. Taking responsiblity for his actions and genuinely trying to improve the situation of himself and that of others may be another metric in the measure of a 'man.' Realizing that in order to be responsible for others, he must first be responsible for himself.

     Still others may think of a 'man' as some mythical creature capable not only of donating an essential ingredient of life, but swooping in as some knight in shining armor to erase their own shortcomings in parenting or interpersonal relationships. A man is simply a male human, nothing more. Attributing certain qualities or characteristics to what is or is not 'a man' is not only irresponsible (a MAN wouldn't BE irresponsible!) but cowardly. It's not a matter of whether someone is a man or not. It's a matter of what kind of man he is.

     Some men are the type that make threatening or obscene phone calls from restricted numbers. Some lie, cheat, and steal, running from a range of problems from the law, to drug abuse, to failure as a parent, not supporting their own children but wanting to be there out of spite or only when it is convenient. Sometimes there is a man who wants to be there for children he loves, regardless of what personal situations he or others go through. He makes steps to be able to help out and care for them, providing what every child deserves- a father. Not just a donation of chromosomes, but someone for the children to love and rely on. Someone that loves them even when he can't see them.

     I love my daughters. No matter what happens, they will always know that their Daddy loves them and is there for them. Some men are like that.