Word is BOND

It’s always a sad story when you hear someone describe the hurtful effects of not having a father around while growing up.

Some still manage to fill the void with the help of other responsible men in their life, such as a grandparent or uncle who will step in as that someone they can naturally look up to. Outside the home, a positive male role model might appear in the form of an educator, volunteer, counselor, mentor, or friend, etc.

In the worst case scenarios, strangers come around that are up to no good. For example, boys have found gangs appealing because leaders offer them that sense of belonging and girls have fallen prey to the first man that gives them any attention. These stories are all too common, unfortunately.

It goes without saying that a mother’s love is just as important, but on the heels of Father’s Day weekend, I’m focused on the role of the patriarch. Coincidentally, I also happened to catch a short video that had touched on this subject and it wasn’t at all planned. When it popped up on my feed, I expected to hear about the trending topic of racism. However, the conversation went in a new direction when it was said that much of the problem stems from the unstable conditions of the family unit. Well, I was listening on my headphones while doing chores when I heard the next statement. It stopped me dead in my tracks and is not one I’ll soon forget:

When you hate your earthly father, you hate God.

Pastor Jesse Lee Peterson would go on to say much more and as a conservative, his views are not accepted by mainstream society. But, no matter your personal beliefs, maybe you can agree that actions are still louder than words. If so, you might appreciate the fact that he has been busy for the past thirty years, through his nonprofit organization BOND (which stands for Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny) in Los Angeles which works on rebuilding the family, one man at a time. You can find the website below if you would like to learn more. I’m also sharing the video for those who may be interested in hearing the events that put him on this path, in his own words.

In the meantime, Father’s Day can be tough for some and for very different reasons. For example, the ones who actually did have a great bond, but due to circumstances beyond their control, the relationship was cut short. When childhood memories resurface for me that feel bittersweet, I turn to old pictures of better times.

While doing this past weekend, I came across an old poem my father loved to recite often. The message is fitting for both men and women, especially today as we could all use a reminder for staying true to the Man in the Glass:

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father, or mother, or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

He’s the fellow to please – never mind all the rest
For he’s with you, clear to the end
And you’ve passed your most difficult, dangerous test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

Simply sharing how I feel with you!

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