Black Men, We Need You!!
We’ve been talking about men’s health this month.....especially that of African-American men. As we approached a Juneteenth Father’s Day this past weekend, I had thoughts of my own dad who died at age 61. His cause of death was colon cancer, but he also had hypertension and diabetes. I thought about how much I loved him and how much I missed him and how much I wished he had made other choices and was here now to see my life and his amazing and only grandson.
I thought of my own husband who is now 63 and keeps trying to describe what that feels like. He feels nothing like what they say it should. He moves with agility on our property tending to it with intention, walks daily with me and models healthy behavior for the physical therapy patients he cares for. I thought of my own son and the healthy choices he’s making and how he’s changing lives. I spent time with him and his cousins who are also intentionally making better choices for their total health and their families and I am so proud.
On Sunday, as I listened to my friend and brother from another mother, Kenny Anderson and his panel on his weekly show 2nd Chance, I was cheering him on. Kenny has faced a diagnosis of diabetes recently and decided that he wasn’t going out like that. I happened to see him while I was out walking and he had the buoyancy of youth that he exuded when we were in college. On the show Sunday, he challenged his panelists about their health. They all answered that they had decided to make the choices that matter. That they want to be around for their children’s children. That they don’t want to shorten their life’s quality or time on this earth. They spoke life into the men that they know and understand. They’re making what we now call “the hard choices”.
Because, it’s hard for Black men in this country. Even with education, as all of the men on Kenny’s panel have, including terminal degrees, their risk for chronic disease is the same as for black men who don’t have the education. I’m believing more and more that the common thread is the racism and microaggressions that they face 24/7, 365. And, the constant flow of hormones in the body that were designed to help you escape trauma/danger eventually cause the body harm. Then, add to that the harmful choices that are made to cope with it all. And, well, you know what happens.
As a public health educator, part of my job is to assist others in identifying and making the choices/changes they want in order to have better health. It’s not always easy. Behavior change never really is. Mostly because, if we are honest, we can’t just look at what we are doing......we need to look at why we are doing what we are doing. Take an honest look at our souls. We don’t always like what we see when we have to face those realities. And a lot of times it just seems easier to live in denial and live with the consequences.
We know that smoking, overeating, not exercising, eating unhealthy foods, drinking, drugging, promiscuous sexual behavior, abusing/intimidating others, etc, etc, etc, are not good for us. But, in the midst of actually engaging in those behaviors, we get some benefit from them.....or we wouldn’t do them. But, when we decide to step back and honestly and fairly examine them for what they are, we are challenged to make different choices........choices that can change the course of our lives, those around us and those who may come behind us.
I love me some Black men.
I don’t want them to be pressured unnecessarily by the challenges they face so that they make choices that cost them their health.
I don’t want to bury anymore of the Black men in my life before their time.
I want them to be able to understand how much they mean to us.
I want them to decide to intentionally make healthier choices.
I want them to live every single day that the Creator has intended for them.
I want them to check themselves, cause Black Man……We Need You!!! WE. NEED. YOU.
When we are challenged to face the truth about ourselves, sometimes making the choice to change is too costly. It’s easier to keep living in denial. But, when we decide to step back and honestly and fairly examine truth for what it is, we are challenged to make different choices........choices that can change the course of our lives, those around us and those who may come behind us.
I’m counting on you my Black men to Do the Right Thing.
Check Yourself. Man UP. Do the Right Thing!!! We Need You!!
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