Mencare® is a section at Menstuff® which deals with the fact that men, in fact, do care - about a lot of things! We are collecting ways that men make a difference. Don't be bashfull. Share your mission here as a man. Let us know so that others might find strength and/or ideas on something they can do. And, there are other ways to make a difference.

Variety of 62 songs from Peter Alsop with excellent conversation about what generated them. I think you may enjoy them

I Had Been Taught to Hate
A Thank-You Note
Volunteer Opportunities Around the U.S.
Listing of Organizations that Care

I Had Been Taught to Hate

Yes, I made a difference. Not today but yesterday, when my children were growing up. I taught them it is okay to love, to express love. To love their parents, their brothers, their children. To give a hug, To receive a hug. To speak an I love you, to others, to themselves. I've taught them to care, to get involved, to change the hypocrosy of our society. To be uniform in their treatment and feeling of and toward another. And if this is the only difference I make, it will be enough to change the trajectory of their lives and those around them. It has changed mine. I learned to hate, to mistrust, to be wary and not to love. Denford L. Owens  sayontei@yahoo.com (Denford L. Owens)

A Thank You Note

Did I make a difference? Attached is a "thank you note" from a young man who was influenced by my writing. I took the time to meet with him and talk about the craft of writing and being published. I thought I would share it with you. Poettrino@email.msn.com (Trinidad Sánchez, Jr.)

May 9, 2000

Dear Trinidad

There are so many things I have to thank you for. The dinner, the readings, the discussions, the book, your poems, the e-mails, the encouragement. I could go on and on, and I have only known you for a few days! I really have to be thankful for you making me realize why I was writing, or why I write. A friend asked me how our meetings went and I told him that you told me there are three things to poetry the poet, the poem, and the audience. I had a poem. I never realized I was a poet, but I realized I was a poet after I saw there was an audience. You said that audience could be one or 100, but one of those people is me. I said it that morning that I would scoop the poems from my heart and lock them up on paper. I wasn’t doing myself any good. I said I wrote for myself, to help me deal with the issues I have, but I would leave them there for no one to see, no one to read, no one to hear, especially myself. That is why I cry. You encourage me to unlock my poems, seek an audience. It doesn’t matter if things go in the gutter or if I never get published or famous, what if I am reading and I inspire the next great Latino poet. What if I get the next Pablo Neruda, Gary Soto, Trinidad Sanchez Jr, to seek his audience? Isn’t that what this is all about? Well, I have been rambling, but I would like to thank you for helping me. I can never begin to let you know how much it means. I will start though with two words:

Thank you,Carlos Alvarado

 

Volunteer Opportunities Around the U.S.

Not only the Federal Government, but many corporations have reduced their charitable contributions in recent years. This means reduced services and in many cases, the elimination of some services. Many men's services, like this one, are run out of our homes. We foot the bill because of our commitment to men, communities, families, relationships, etc. To keep going, and in many cases, just to survive, volunteers are needed. If you have a few minutes, hours, days, one-time or over a longer period of time, there is a place that can use you. You might start by checking out our "Resource" index, looking under the category that looks most aligned with where you have been helped in the past, or where you would like to help now. What have you done lately?  It's never too late to start!

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Every calling is great when greatly pursued. - Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
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