Quite a number of my closest friends are men.
Yes, my Mum told me it was a bad idea. She said that a girl and a boy can not be just friend. But it was one of the very rare occasions where I have disobeyed my Mum, and I am not sorry. (Sorry Mum, you know I love you and trust you implicitly, but I am really not sorry for going against you on this one).
My friends, both male and female are a vital part of who I am, and every person who has been a part of my life has left a mark. Some very wonderful prints on the sands of time. Some of them broke my heart into tiny pieces. Some of them have made me laugh and there have been some who I have had to control the urge to punch in the face or at least scream on the top of my lungs at some of their ways.
I have said some goodbyes and closed some chapters, but I have no intentions of giving up the memories nor the lessons learnt.
So, back to my men!
I have tried to understand them and have at one time or another thrown up my arms in exasperation. I have given up trying to decipher men and I have chosen just to be grateful for the them and the mirage lessons I have learnt from them. I have chosen to be glad for all the diverse ways they have helped make me stronger.
I love and respect them. I appreciate and treasure them. I celebrate them and even though they do drive me crazy sometimes, I want to see them happy and fulfilled. I want to see them full of wisdom and strength, grace and humility. I want to see them prosper.
There have been so many lessons that God and life has taught me and I am expectant about more that are coming. But, I’d like to say a big thank you to all the men who have been or still are a part of my life. The ones who have let me see their feminine side without feeling threatened. The ones who have shown me respect and a pure unconditional love. The ones who have taught me to do boyish things and still managed to admire me as a lady. The ones whose faith in me appears to be unshaken. The ones who have let me run away with my mouth a few times. The ones who have laughed with me and joined me to laugh at myself. The ones who who have tried to understand me and failed. The ones who are still trying. The ones who have decided that I am role model and the ones who are convinced I am not.
To my Dad who was and still is my first reference in elegance and style. You taught me the essence of neatness and a good appearance.
To my brothers who I love with all my heart. I do love the people you have become and I have faith that you will make for outstanding and noble men.
To my man, the one who my hearts beats for, we do have our struggles and I know there are time you feel tired, what with my stubbornness and the endless projects I get involved in. You still are my alpha male.
To my sons and all the kids who have laid a claim to a huge chunk of my heart. I will give of myself to see you become men of goodwill and of noble character. To see you become blessings in the lives of those wonderful men and women that God and life will bring your way.
To the ones who have seen most of me and have learnt to let me be myself.
To all the men who are friends, even though people might jump to unreal conclusions about our relationships, even though I still remember Mum saying that boys and girls can not be friends, I am not sorry I allowed you a place in my heart.
To all the men in my life;
I promise to continue being a loud mouth, in the most respectful way, and I want to let you know that we’d continue to be the best of friends if you learn to allow me run my mouth when I need to and to continue showing me love and respect.
I promise to continue being independent, and not being a burden for you, and I’d like you know that it makes things easy when you champion my causes, even if they don’t make sense to you.
I promise to be your most devout cheerleader, and I hope you never forget that one good turn deserves another.
I promise to tell it to you as it is and, even though there will be times when you won’t like what I have to say, I hope you’ll understand that it’s with the best of intentions and meant to help give you a different perspective.
I promise to sing your praise and boast of your strength.
I promise to celebrate you and respectfully chide you and joyously scream at you and laugh at you and with you. I promise to be a pain in your neck, but a really nice, pleasant and positive pain; the kind I hope you won’t want to get rid of.
I promise to continue to foster a mutually enriching friendly relationship with any one that God and life brings my way, to be friends with the ones who have been given lessons to teach me as well with those who have been sent my way to learn from me. Whether male or female. And, I know that Mum would be smiling now, because she has seen that it is possible for a boy and a girl to be be just such wonderful friends and I know that she now approves.
