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I saw this quote from Alexis Carrell on Facebook recently that caused me to ponder it for much longer than normal. At first glance, the quote indicates man must endure hardship, pain, and suffering before they can heal. On the other hand, it begs the question: Why do we need to break ourselves down to improve? “Man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor.” –French surgeon, biologist and Noble Prize winner, Alexis Carrel (1873-1944) According to this post at Elevate Society, Carrell emphasizes that personal growth and transformation often comes at a cost. The metaphor of being both the marble and the sculptor suggests that we possess the raw material and the tools necessary to shape ourselves. Just as a sculptor must chisel away at the marble, Carrell suggests we must also face the pain and struggle that comes with self-improvement.  The Heart

A recent Chicago Tribune article titled, Why Don’t Men Read Novels? describes that many men don’t read in any genre. Is it the way we are wired or the type of content we consume? Or both? I admit that in my younger days, I was not much of a reader. As I get older though, I have learned to pick up a good book or magazine more often. I also skim-read my local newspapers every day, starting with the sports section followed by the business news, then the main section. I occasionally read nonfiction books on self-help or a business topic, or a timely autobiography. Of course, I do read my Bible, primarily whenever I lead the discussion in our men’s group. I’m still not a voracious reader, probably due to my increasingly bad attention span or self-diagnosed case of ADD. I just don’t like to read as much as my

Over the years, I’ve noticed an odd behavior mainly among men: it’s the not-so-fine art of “guy teasing.” You’ve heard it many time and may not have noticed. It shows as an off-the-cuff comment like “Hey, nice three-putt” when one of your buddies misses a short, easy putt. You may also hear “Did you get that shirt at the thrift store?” when a guy wears something very fashionable. Yet another example is “Just put on your big-boy pants and deal with it!” intended to help a friend after a personal setback or criticism. In one sense, men simply use words to engage in this playful, yet weird form of communicating. But on the other hand, where is the line between male bonding and bullying? “Genderally” Speaking During many of my talks on male friendship, I often speak in “genderalities” which is defined as “a statement or principle having very general,