Firstly, I apologize for my delayed post!

two weeks ago I took a day trip Selstat, because my host had advised me of a beautiful castle (Haut-Kronesingbourg Castle and a monkey sanctuary called the Mountain of monkies) there. However, when I went to the bus station they said that there were no direct buslines, only on the weekends.  Well I was disappointed but I had already set myself on traveling. So I decided to go to the town anyway, and I spent five hours doing a walking tour. Most of the pieces I came across where produces of the crusades. One church I saw was large, beautiful, and empty with gorgeous Gregorian chants playing in the background.  It became my own private little sanctuary for the next hour and a half and was a refreshing reflection and peace from the faster pace Strasbourg, concurrently with the train ride of beautiful alsacien countryside, I found myself reflecting on purpose, identity, art, and aesthetics.

Here is the reflection:

I am a strong, white, independent, straight man

And my life matters

Yes I am not a minority group that suffers oppression, but I am a person with a wrong view of self because of an attitude, upbringing, and/or a culture. And it takes disassociation from these “identity” forming things in order to get to the core of self. Being in France has revealed/restored ideas of masculinity; going to operas and meeting locals, seeing their comfortability in their own male skin has been enlightening and encourages me in my own masculinity. For me, the deeply philosophical question of masculinity and femininity has been questioned since senior year of high school (2011). With this imposing American manly masculinity of sports and toys and lack of spine, one can get lost in the wrong idea of manliness. And over the past month and a half I have grown to appreciate self and my God given intrinsic value.

I am a strong, white, independent, straight male

I am proud of my body, body hair of a scotsman, and unique way of expressing and articulating myself

Sometimes I say really stupid and goofy things that no one understands, but I don’t care, I just want to say it.

When a women enters a conversation I feel a desire to include her and care for her involvement.

And I am proud of my heritage

And I am proud of my name (Learned, Dark Skin Warrior)

And I am tired of treading this earth so softly; not speaking my mind and being misunderstood

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Now I would like to turn the question to you! Are you living like yourself? Are there things that get in the way of you being who you know that you are? Are those things malleable? What things in life do you have to disassociate from in order to let your true colors shine? Feel free to comment about it.

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“The constant thought ‘Life is meant for living’ permeates my brain and encourages me to wake up early and live and grow and learn because ‘life is meant for living.’”

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Stay tuned for stories from Scotland and visiting the place of my ancestors!

On the subject of Masculinity, here is a precursor:

A La Prochain et cheers,

DCM