I was at the playground with Danielle and there was a young boy, about 7 years old, playing with several older boys. The boy was being chased when he fell and hit his head. He immediately started to cry and his father came over to check on him. As he continued to cry, his dad reassured him that he was okay and after a while, the father began to get annoyed at the crying. After a couple of minutes, the father demanded that he stop crying or he was going to take him home. This reminded me of something I wrote in my journal shortly after Danielle's diagnosis. Here is a small portion of what I wrote:
"...they say that men aren't supposed to cry, but that's not true. There are many occasions when it is perfectly appropriate for men to cry. It is perfectly acceptable for men to cry over the loss of a loved one, family or friend. Weeping or crying with pride for country or team is an exceptable form of emotional expresson. What is not acceptable, what men are not supposed to do is cry for themselves. If a man cries for himself, it can lead to self pity. Self-pity is an ugly thing and it is extremely dangerous for those who are expected to provide for others. If you allow self-pity to find refuge anywhere in your psyche, it can become cancerous; growing with each minor set back or disappointment. That cannot happen to the head of any household. That's what fathers are saying to their sons when they tell them not to cry. When a man tells his son to wipe away the tears and get back on his feet, he is really saying that there is no time to feel sorry for yourself...."
That's just my theory. My wife says it's much simpler than that, "some dads are just jerks."
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