Brotherhood
My shortcoming as a modern man is that I have not felt the emotionality of brotherhood which led me astray
I was inspired by the showcasing of brotherhood by NBA players regarding the recent string of social movements that have swept the world i.e. anti-black racism. Not everyone agrees on how to move forward, but the united will to change resonates loudly.
These men, many of whom black, had tough upbringings without active fathers and had to learn brotherhood without clear guidance. For those who chose sports, their brotherhood was shaped by role models like coaches but more importantly, the shared experience of playing on a team with other like minded boys.
Men, at some point in their lives, need to experience a shared group struggle to forge responsibility and empathy i.e. brotherhood. In the past it was military service, but today it’s organized community sports.
I unfortunately did not have either experience for reasons mostly out of my control. I don’t understand brotherhood emotionally the same way as most of my peers, thus I need to be extra sensitive about the topic.
When brothers hurt one another, it’s a deep visceral wound that may never fully heal. I have made those mistakes in the past without realizing why it hurt men so much. My shortcoming as a modern man is that I have not felt the emotionality of brotherhood which led me astray.
Fortunately, there is a remedy. The first thing I can do is be vulnerable about my shortcomings to fellow brothers.
So here I am waiting, unsheathed, and standing trial for reclamation...
Word count: 248
Twitter: @bhavprajapati
