05/08/2026
I personally came into our spring FRD retreat with some anger and resentment…which made what happened next unavoidable.
At one point, one of the brothers came to me and said he wasn’t sure if he was going to stick around…for the event, or the community.
He was honest. Following his intuition. I respected that.
We had a real conversation about when to lean in, and when to walk away.
We dropped the walls and shared our truths.
What emerged was something we shared…
We were both carrying anger toward another man.
Both felt betrayed. Trust had been broken.
He decided to stay and lean in.
What happened next was something I won’t forget (correction, none of 40 men will forget).
To support him, we pivoted our agenda and made room for an important process— a space to face what he’d been carrying.
I can’t share what happened exactly to protect the confidentiality of the room… but I can tell you this:
At one point, the room was completely silent. At another point it wasn’t.
Because one man accepted our challenge, said yes, gave it his all… everything opened. The entire event shifted.
Men who came in guarded were given permission to feel at a whole new level. The honesty was inspiring. Emotional. VERY real.
And because this man chose to go first… it became the peak experience of the entire event for many.
Here’s what I’m sitting with:
* Anger doesn’t leave until it’s seen
* Most men are carrying more than they admit
* One man’s courage can change a room
If you’re holding onto anger right now… I see you.
But you’re not meant to hold this alone.
Men don’t heal in isolation. It’s in the light. With your brothers.
They heal in rooms like this. If you’re out there needing connection, I’m with you.
