“Forgive Yourself, Brother: The First Step Toward Becoming the Man Your Family Needs”
There’s a moment in every man’s life when he looks in the mirror and wrestles with the weight of his past. The missed opportunities. The words spoken in anger. The children he wasn’t there for. The promises broken,not always to others, but often to himself. As men, especially Black men in communities like Memphis, we are taught to be tough, silent, and unbreakable. We bury our guilt and carry it like bricks in a backpack, hoping nobody notices the weight. But here’s the truth: you cannot lead, love, or rise while dragging the shame of your past. Brother, it’s time to forgive yourself. Why Self-Forgiveness Matters You’ve made mistakes. So have I. So has every man who ever tried to build something in a broken world. But shame doesn’t grow families, and regret doesn’t raise children. Healing does. Accountability does. And most of all,forgiveness does. Forgiving yourself isn’t about forgetting what you did or excusing it. It’s about owning your story without being owned by it. ...