The man capable of misstepping a path wrought with mistakes would’ve never bent to lace his boots. Minimizing risk barred him from the reward of scars. A product of what he’s become, a soul filled with an unexplained chasm. Stray far from the misguided warmth it offers. Learn from the hurt as you plow ahead, forever seeking a simpler existence. Not one of comfort and excess, but of knowledge and challenge in its place. Reward is found in the pursuit. Find solace in single malt and a six-string during your most honest moments of silence and solitude. Failing to learn from your past on the path to higher reward will net you a deserved remission into dark times. The game of blame is for the weak and allowing mental entrapment into such a place is uncharacteristic of your ethos.

You’ve known the love and affection of a woman beyond your grasp. Far more deserving of a better man than you. Proving your worth in her eyes on the most authentic level. You’ve promised her nothing and offered a life of passion in its place. Blue collar biceps lock her in deep, in ways a starched full windsor never could. Vices of nicotine, caffeine and adrenaline come in waves. A tolerant girl who understands how to forgive you in the face of mistakes. Trading the peace of a lofty white collar home in lieu of a man who can wage war in the street defending her. Calloused hands that destroy, capable of calming her anxiety and fear when ran up her soft neckline. A fist full of grip, eyes closed, trusting in your strength. Two beings who grow to know they truly offset each other in the balance of life.

My arms are adorned with the permanent reminders of who I am, what I am and where I’ve been. If infinity leaves me black and blue, always know I saw it through. I’m of a generation that answered a call. Young enough to believe I was standing up to serve a just and moral nation on blind faith. Doing my part, earning my keep. Never questioning the politics of my grandfathers generation above my pay grade. Proficient as a marksman, obedient and loyal. Yet, age has a way of allowing you to peer around the curtain. Consumption of the red pill is all but too tempting, you indulge. A burden of hurt, doubt and unanswered questions to fall upon your shoulders. Pawns drug deep in the sand, a river of gunpowder and blood in the wake. Lives taken over misinformation, a calculated agenda handed down by those standing over maps. I’ll forever remember the faces they never knew of allowable calculated loss. Memories I cannot escape, nor would I dream to banish. Brave and heroic actions deserve to be known and revered. A child named in honor of a great man is the least I can offer.

I didn’t get here by accident. I’m merely a product of my environment. I drive fast, drink too hard and love deeply.  A man who has known death and persevered beyond that fear. I have placed it as far behind me as possible. Entrenching vulnerable feelings amidst a daily work ethic reminiscent of our laboring ancestors. I venture into my next phase of life, free to live once more. I possess the maturity to seek the good in what lies ahead and leave the muck behind me. It isn’t without anguish that I’ve become this man, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’ll measure my achievement in the lines on my face, the gleam in my eyes and the strength of my grip. Hands that have harmed shall be made to hold. A rough exterior that rarely allows the light to penetrate. Few things can shake a stoic demeanor and unearth the underbelly of my soul. Locking eyes with a child who has yet to endure the world ahead of him, a free and kind spirit that exudes a pure smile offering a glimpse of who I was in the beginning. I envy his place in this world and fear for his journey ahead. My responsibility falls in guiding him throughout his youth, yet I cannot write his story, nor can I clear his path. Bending down and lacing his boots will have to be his decision.