out of the strong came forth sweetness

Unless you are English or a bible scholar you may be unfamiliar with the above quotation, which is derived from the story of Samson and the Lion and a woman from Timnah.  It’s a narrative and an allegory.  Psychologically, the interesting thing is the difference between masculine and feminine strength.

Typically, masculine strength is brute force and aggression that can be measured in foot-pounds, whereas feminine strength is far more elusive and mysterious.  In the biblical story the lion is an expression of male energy and sexual potency.  The sweet honey is an expression of female patience, sensitivity, and  complexity.  Without both the story has no point at all.  So, some strong warrior guy goes out and kills a lion ~ that happens all the time in the bible.  That story would have little point to it.

However, if you add the feminine sweetness, and throw in the woman from Timnah for good measure, then what we have is an allegory which seeks to illustrate that unbridled strength and aggression without control is both pointless and dangerous.  An out of control bulldozer isn’t anything anyone wants to have to deal with.

Many men fail to grasp that point.  A lot of guys think that what it takes to be a real man is the ability to sink copious quantities of beer and then beat down on the little guy.  Or drink copious quantities of beer, drive home from the pub, and treat his wife / girlfriend like a piece of meat.  That type of guy tends to be unsuccessful, or an alcoholic, or a workshy petty criminal ~ or all three.

More successful men realise that feminine qualities like; acceptance, diplomacy, patience, perseverance, understanding, and the ability to communicate effectively are just as important, (if not more important), than qualities such as physical courage and endurance.  Some men eschew these feminine strengths as being beneath them, or unmanly, or associated with the rainbow community.  Reality says that a hell of a lot of men just find things like diplomacy, understanding, and talking, far too difficult for them to cope with.

I had to learn the feminine strengths and skills as part of my career in International Finance ~ if I wanted to make more money than my trophy wife could spend.  More recently, I learned those feminine strengths courtesy of a self-confessed black widow.

Really strong men control their masculine qualities with the feminine qualities they are willing to learn and use.

~

jack collier

jackcollier7@talktalk.net

out of the eater, something to eat

out of the strong, something sweet