I have been mulling this weeks subject in my mind for some time, wondering when to post and even if to post, then I saw this quote “your ideas won’t do a thing to help anybody if they are kept inside you”. How true is that! In fact the beginning of that quote says “You have as much ability to change the world, write history and shape the future as any other person”. Perhaps we all need to remember that from time to time when we feel like we don’t matter.
On the subject of feeling like you don’t matter. Growing up I had a father who I can only describe as indifferent to me. He was an alcoholic and died aged 55. I did not speak to him for the last ten years of his life, a choice I made, not without much thought and hesitation, but can honestly say I do not regret. I was simply not prepared to go on his alcoholic journey with him and needed to distance myself not only from his self destruction but also the deleterious effect that his behaviour had on me. I have long ago dealt with most of the deeps issues associated with my relationship with him but here is what I have to say to all men out there who have daughters.
A little girl’s relationship with her father shapes all future relationships she has with men. It is the most important male – female relationship she will ever have. It sets the standard. Her father is her benchmark. She will look to him, even when she is tiny and unaware, to learn the rules of how a man should treat a woman. Of what to expect from a man. Of how she should be treated and loved. So men, I want you to look at your daughters, it does not matter if they are still very young and have far to go before they begin to form bonds with other males, or if they are already teenagers and tentatively exploring their first relationships, or even fully grown. I want you to think about the sort of man you would want your daughter to marry and if you are not that sort of man yourself you need to step up and make some changes. You need to set the benchmark and you need to set it really high!
Lets imagine for a moment what sort of man you would want for your daughter. Get a pen and paper out and list some of his qualities. Go ahead and list all his qualities if you want. You might start with these. Faithful, honest, humble, strong, open, full of integrity and kindness, healthy and fit. I am sure most of these would come into the equation and probably a whole load more. The list can be as long as you want to make it. This is your beautiful baby girl so don’t limit it. You want nothing but the best for her. Now, take a really good look at yourself. Be honest. Really really honest. Think about how close you come to being that man. Don’t just flit over it. Think about it really hard.
If you want your daughter to marry a man who opens the door for her, or carries the heavy bags then do that. Let her see you do that. If you want your daughter to marry a man who adores her then go ahead and adore her. If you want your daughter to marry a man who fixes stuff around the house without being asked then please be that man. If you want your daughter to marry a man who stays fit and strong so that he can always be there for her then go ahead and do the same. If you want him to be humble and kind then let her see you be humble and kind. If you want her future husband to be emotionally available then you need to do the same. What and who you are is what and who she will marry. It really is that astonishingly simple. She is watching you. She is looking at the big picture and all the little details. She is getting her cues from you. So be sure to be that person all the time and not just to her.
Here is what is going to happen when you rise up and become the man you would want for her. You are going to set the standard for what she expects. She won’t settle for less and so not only are you ensuring that she will marry the kind of man she deserves you are setting a benchmark for all the young men out there too. All those young men out there have no choice but to rise up and be the kind of men you would want for your daughter.
So go ahead and be the benchmark. Set the bar really high. It is kind of like a beautiful pay it forward and one day when you walk with her and hand her over to a man, waiting expectantly at the end of an aisle, you will be really grateful you did.
nikivanvelden 