To the Women Who Have Broken Me

Thank you.

To the women who have left me shattered, questioning everything I thought I knew about love, about myself, about what it means to be a man; you have been among my greatest teachers.

To the women who held up a mirror so painfully clear that I had no choice but to see my own wounds staring back at me; you showed me where I was still unhealed.

To the women who refused to shrink themselves to make me more comfortable; you taught me the power of a woman who will not be tamed.

To the women who loved me fiercely, wildly, and without conditions; you expanded my heart beyond what I thought was possible.

To the women who set boundaries so firm they felt like walls; I later realized they were doors, and you were inviting me to rise.

To the women who called me forward when I was hiding in my own smallness; you saw something in me I couldn’t yet see in myself.

And to the women who have mothered me, sistered me, partnered with me, and walked beside me; you are the reason I know what devotion, grace, and true strength look like.

Because of you, I have learned that being a man is not about control, but about presence; not about power, but about protection; not about suppressing emotions, but about welcoming them.

I have learned that the masculine is not rigid, but steady; not forceful, but deeply rooted. And that to truly honor the feminine, I must stand fully in my own embodied masculine—resolute, clear, and open-hearted.

Today, on International Women’s Day, I bow to you in reverence and gratitude. Because without you, I would not be the man I am today.

And I promise, I am still learning. Still growing. Still showing up, more open, more present, and more willing to be undone by the divine feminine mystery.

Thank you. I love you.