Guilty as charged.

So the other day I wrote something sweet and vulnerable and open and…clearly annoying…and a longtime Buddhist pal laughed at me and told me to shut it.

I wrote this.

Then, this happened: a longtime pal I’m out of touch with Facebook/emoji laughed at my tough times and told me to shut up. That I looked like an idiot talking about my failures, or sadnesses, or broken heart. He didn’t even DM me, first, as a friend might care to do. That’s okay, I can deal with it, but I did reply:

“An old Buddhist friend made fun of me & told me to shut up FOR THE LOVE OF GOD last night so I called my buddy @duzer and now I’m blabbing about it.”

Or listen to the podcast version:

Check out the original post on Instagram, here.

I mention this quote, above.

And, I reminded myself that “being a man” isn’t about being “tough” or “strong and silent.” It’s about loving, protecting, being brave enough to feel unpleasant and hard things fully, and to be open about them.

 

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A post shared by Waylon Lewis (@waylonlewis)

Vulnerability isn’t weak. It’s resilient if grounded in sanity. Openness isn’t embarrassing—keeping our “dirty laundry” private is shame and depression-inducing. Community heals. Honesty can lead us back to living joy—and love.