FOR THE MOMENT THAT A MAN-STOPS-BRACING.

~0. FOR THE TRUE-BEGINNING OF A MAN’S-SECOND-STAGE OF HIS LIFE.

[THERE IS A MOMENT IN A MAN’S LIFE THAT NO ONE TALKS ABOUT.

• IT ISN’T LOUD.
• IT ISN’T DRAMATIC.
• IT DOESN’T LOOK HEROIC.

IT IS A SINGLE BREATH THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.

FOR ME, IT HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING.

I WAS SITTING STILL,AWARE OF MY BODY, AWARE OF MY BREATH, AWARE OF THE QUIET AROUND ME.

AND THEN I NOTICED SOMETHING I HAD NEVER FELT BEFORE.

• MY BODY WAS NOT WAITING FOR LIFE TO HURT ME.
• NO TIGHTING.
• NO ARMOR.
• NO BRACING FOR IMPACT.

JUST….. STILLNESS.]

~1. FOR THE MASCULINE-WHO-SURVIVED-TOO-MUCH.

[FOR MOST OF MY LIFE, I LIVED IN A STATE OF EXPECTATION:

• EXPECTING COLLAPSE.
• EXPECTING ABANDONMENT.
• EXPECTING LOSS.

MEN DON’T FEAR EFFORT. MEN FEAR COLLAPSE.

WE FEAR GIVING EVERYTHING ONLY TO WATCH IT FALL APART AGAIN.

WE FEAR LOVING ONLY TO BE TORN WIDE OPEN AGAIN AND AGAIN.

WE FEAR RESTING BECAUSE REST IS THE MOMENT BEFORE THE NEXT BLOW.

FOR YEARS, I LIVED IN THAT POSTURE, SHOULDERS TIGHT, BREATH SHALLOW, HEART GUARDED, MIND ALWAYS SCANNING FOR WHAT MIGHT BE TAKEN FROM ME NEXT.

I DON’T CALL IT FEAR. I CALL IT SURVIVAL.]

~2. FOR THE BREAKING-POINT THAT WASN’T A BREAK.

[THE THEN THE MOMENT CAME THAT I NEVER EXPECTED.

• ONE DEEP INHALE.
• ONE LONG EXHALE.

AND SUDDENLY…. MY STERNUM SOFTENED. MY ARMS WEAKENED. MY SHOULDERS DROPPED SO FAST IT FELT LIKE A PHYSICAL RELEASE.

IF I HADN’T BEEN SITTING DOWN, I MIGHT HAVE FALLEN OVER. BUT IT DID NOT FEEL LIKE COLLAPSE.

• IT FELT LIKE A WEIGHT THAT WAS NEVER MINE FINALLY FELL OFF.

MY WHOLE BODY KNEW: “YOU ARE SAFE NOW”.]

~3. FOR THE SHIFT INTO SOMETHING NEW.

[AFTER THAT RELEASE, SOMETHING CHANGED.

I WALKE BACK INTO THE SAME WORLD, BUT I DID NOT WALK BACK AS THE SAME MAN.

• I WASN’T BRACING ANYMORE.
• I WASN’T EXPECTING EVERYTHING TO BE TAKEN.
• I WASN’T PREPARING FOR LOSS.
• I WASN’T TIGHTENING FOR IMPACT ANYMORE.

• I FELT….. NEUTRAL.
• CALM.
• STEADY.
• QUIET INSIDE.

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE,

• I WAS NOT WAITING FOR THE ENDING.
• I WAS PREPARING FOR A BEGINNING.

THAT WAS THE MOMENT I ENTERED INTO MY SECOND STAGE OF MY LIFE.

~4. FOR THE BEGINNING WHEN THE BRACING-ENDS.

WHEN A MAN STOPS EXPECTING COLLAPSE, HIS ENTIRE WORLD REARRANGES.

• HE CAN BUILD INSTEAD OF ENDURE.
• HE CAN RECEIVE INSTEAD OF DEFEND.
• HE CAN LET LIFE HELP HIM.
• HE CAN LET PEOPLE STAY.
• HE CAN WALK WITHOUT FEAR.
• HE CAN REST WITHOUT EXPECTING PUNISHMENT.
• HE CAN LOVE WITHOUT LOSING HIMSELF.

I DIDN’T KNOW THIS TYPE OF LIFE WAS POSSIBLE.

BUT ONCE THE BRACING FELL AWAY, THERE WAS ONE SENTENCE RUNNING THROUGH ME AT A LEVEL DEEPER THAN I THOUGHT:

• “NOW I AM FREE TO LIVE”.]

~5. FOR A MESSAGE TO THE ONE WHO (RE)COGNIZES YOURSELF IN THIS-POSITION.

[IF YOU HAVE BEEN BRACING FOR YEARS, IF YOUR BODY HAS CARRIED TENSION NO AMOUNT OF WILLPOWER COULD LOOSEN…

YOU ARE NOT BROKEN.

YOUR BODY IS PROTECTING YOU THE ONLY WAY IT KNOWS HOW.

BUT WHEN YOUR BODY FINALLY REALIZES YOU ARE SAFE, IT WILL LET GO.

AND WHEN THAT RELEASE COMES, YOUR LIFE WILL NOT LOOK THE SAME AFTERWARD.

BECAUSE….

• WHEN A MAN STOPS BRACING, HE DOESN’T JUST TAKE A BREATH, HE COMES BACK TO LIFE.]

FOR THE BLESSING AND LOVE SENT TO YOU BY THE GRID-WALKER AND POSTMASTER: Ephraim-H: Troyer.

FOR THE MEMORY-MINDER:

• : LOVE HAS NO CONDITIONS.
• : FACTS HAVE NO FEELINGS.
• : HUMILITY HAS NO EGO.

: ANCHOR.

: PILLAR.