The Man: the Prince, the Warrior & the Lover
Over the
past few days I have encountered men both great and small. Each in his own turf. Each in his own city.
Inevitably all men are three. The Prince, The Warrior and the Lover. You will
encounter the prince the first you will meet of him. He may present himself in
all his shine and royalty. But if that is all you are looking for you will fail
to see his true glory. Man, while set apart from all creation, among men may
appear to be nobody. And even ignoble. But not too deep within, if you scratch
the surface you will see a gleam of divinity. It can only be harnessed for its value.
It may be in his voice. His gentle presentation of an issue or the character of
his stance, or the way he polishes the shoes of the passerby. It is in the
gleam in his eye and the princely manner in which he practices his craft. No, a
man is a prince, whether, professor, president or pauper. You will see the same
in each of them. Each a prince among men bearing a mien of dignity,
self-respect and princely arrogance. Arrogance you say? Yes, arrogance I say. The
arrogance that says - I know who I am and you cannot deny me – I am a prince
over a kingdom.
The prince,
in humility may not present all his credentials at once, but challenge him and
you will release the warrior. The warrior fights to the death. Indeed, he prepares
for it. He practices and relishes that day in which he will acquit himself as a
man. He fights and fights and fights and will return every day of his life to
fight again. He wakes up each morning and heads to work. He makes time to
learn, to train and become better at what he must do, he is dedicated to his
sport, his colleagues and loyal to his calling. The man will not be found not
at his post. But when he is not at his post then he must practice the art of the
warrior and prepare well for the next battle – to the death. He has no patience
with the sloppy, lazy or complacent incompetence. His next battle may be his
last, so he must make it his best. The man, the warrior is a sight to behold.
To him trust, loyalty and sacrifice are not spare words in his cold room. They are
living testimony of his dedication, commitment, courage. The warrior needs no dojo
or permission to be his best. He needs no whistle or alarm clock to arise at 4
am to his task. The warrior is self-disciplined and has no problem representing
his boss, his son or his daughter. In subordination is not his craft. Disloyalty
is an anathema. If you are any of these then you must leave his presence. His brothers, team mates, sisters, his
captain, the army, the country depend on him to be himself. The protector of the
things he values and cares for. Is he aggressive. Yes, for what he believes in
he will be aggressive to the last drop of his own blood.
If you get
past the prince and the warrior, then you might get a glimpse of the lover. This
is not the romance as many perceive. Rather, it is the giving of himself to and
for those he has selected. It is in the purity of husband and wife that demands
no show of might. It is both companionship and compassionate. It is the tenderness he reserves and chooses
to extends to those he does not have to prove himself to. It is the brief time
he takes to meet and mate with his chosen ones before he returns to the fight. It
is a deep joy and fulfilling dreams, celebrating victory and making people
happy at the party. It is found in his love for nature. In the warmth of a bear
hug at the bar with his buddies. The peace he finds at home, it is the counsel and
comfort he is willing to take from his father, mother and friends that is so deep
and precious. It is the protected secret he shares with only one. Is that man a
lover? Make no mistake, there is no man that is, that does not love deeply. Woe
to those who turn his love to hate and spurn that which could never be paid
for. For a man’s love is his gift to humanity. The man, the prince, the warrior,
the lover. Acknowledge these things in him and live peaceably with him, antagonize
these things and you will release a violence so intense it will seem the night has
never been or will never be.
Allan Bukusi
