22 Years of Choosing Her: How Marriage Made Me a Stronger Man

The right woman doesn’t weaken you

March 7th, 2003, Twenty-two years ago last week, 16-year-old me made a decision that would shape my future.

I asked a girl to be my girlfriend.

It wasn’t a grand gesture;

No fanfare.

Just a young football player making the deliberate choice to ask the beautiful cheerleader to be his girl.

That girl became my wife, my inner-counsel, the mother of my children, and the one constant in my wild life.

That one choice became the foundation of everything I’ve built since.

Today, after over two decades of growth, struggle, and success, I know these three things with certainty:

1. A man is defined by what he does, not what he says he’ll do.

2. Marriage doesn’t weaken you, it makes you more powerful.

3. A family isn’t a burden, it’s a legacy.

Weak men will tell you that marriage ties you down.

Randos on the internet will suggest that you chase freedom, keep your options open, and avoid the “trap” of commitment.

The truth is, a life without responsibility is not how men are meant to live.

Our lives should serve a purpose, and commitment is tied to masculinity…