Real men don’t cry, do they?
Growing up I never saw my father cry. It wasn’t until I was 16 that I saw him cry for the first time.
I thought it was because my father was a “real man” but looking back at it now I don’t think that was the case.
My father just didn’t want to be seen as weak. Maybe he wanted his son (me) to look up and say something like, “Wow, my father is so strong. Nothing can hurt him.”
But as I got older that changed. From the age of 16 I can remember numerous times when I saw my father cry or well up with emotion.
I think it was because he knew I was old enough and he didn’t have to hold it in.
While my father was the strong one, my mother and I were criers.
However I never saw it as a form of weakness. Inside I always felt strong.
I cried because I empathized with what other people were feeling or going through.
Movies really get to me. The raw power with which some actors perform is simply stunning.
So today I thought I’d pass along my list of movies and could very well bring tears to your eyes.
- Backdraft
- Cool Runnings
- Remember the Titans
- The Notebook
- Pay It Forward
- Legends of the Fall
- Armageddon
- 50 First Dates
- Good Will Hunting
- Babe
- Electric Dreams
- Independence Day
- Philadelphia
- Shall We Dance
- The Cutting Edge
- When a Man Loves a Woman
- Love Actually
- Ice Age
- How to Train Your Dragon
- Monster’s Inc
Naturally, some movies hit me harder than others. In the list above, “Cool Runnings,” “Remember the Titans” and “Backdraft” are the probably the three that always get to me.
When it comes to books I must say I’m not the best person to ask as I only seriously started reading a few years ago. However, during that time I have come across three books that made me cry.
- The Ultimate Gift
- Rage of Angels
- Life’s Golden Ticket
Personally, I love a movie or book that can make me cry. That means their words touched me. That I was moved.
It’s an incredible feeling.
Many of my guy friends think I’m a little strange but that’s ok.
A “real man” isn’t supposed to cry, I know that. But I think of my father and seeing him cry made him more real to me than ever.
I realized that despite his hard exterior he was just like me.
Sometimes I wonder how many other men are like that?
Adrian Shepherd