A Good Man Isn't Hard To Find

Every once in a while I wonder at why I bother taking time to "put myself out there" by composing blog posts about things that are important to my life.

Then, something happens that reminds me why I'm doing so.

First, I do it because I'm a writer and it's part of fulfilling my need to continually be writing.

But as to why I do it publicly, that's a tougher thing to answer. Sure, I appreciate the fact that others read my writing and can sometimes benefit from things I have to say or talk about. But then there's also the concept of "immortalizing" people places and things that are important to me.

I was recently contacted by the folks at The Good Men Project who found an online picture and post of my Dad from 2007. The picture was taken back in 1995.

They wanted me to write a short blurb to accompany this picture in their project. In the words of one of the founders: "The Good Men Project is men telling their stories in their language. It’s men sharing and searching for their good. And it’s an unfolding and limitless conversation about what good means, what the good man can be."

I agreed to let them use this picture of my Dad and to write an accompanying bit of text to go with it. So I submitted a quick summary about how I learned to laugh and find humour in regular daily situations because it's something very important that my Dad taught me. He loved life, loved to laugh, but more importantly, loved to make other people laugh. And, when following in my father's way and I'm actually able to inspire smiles or laughter from others, that's like having a bit of my Dad there with me.

In any case, I'm honoured and delighted for my Dad to be recognized in this way. And it reminds me that this "putting myself out there" on this blog is perhaps doing some good, and not just keeping me working on my "craft" of writing.