“Nothing.” But It Was Everything.

Inspired by the Spool of Wire Guy - As we wrap up Men's Mental Awareness Month.

Did you see the viral video?

A man sits, holding back more than just tears.

Looking at an empty spot in the yard where a spool of wire used to be.
And with just one sentence, he spills decades of history, identity, and emotion:

“Forty years of my life is in the wire that’s gone.”

Not anger. 
Not drama. 

Just a quiet confession.

A sacred opening of the soul.

But before the weight of his words could even land,
his wife shrugs it off and points to his hat:

“You got your Jets hat on!”

That’s when he says it.

“Okay. I’m done.”

Gets up, and walks away.

....

That’s why so many men say, “nothing,” when asked what’s on their mind.

Not because it’s truly nothing
But because past attempts at honesty were met with laughter, dismissal, or a joke.
And so the truth gets buried under silence.
And the silence is labeled strength.

But it’s not. 

It’s just exhaustion in disguise.

.....

Men do open up.

But here’s what’s often true:

🔹 They open slower.
🔹 They open when it feels safe.
🔹 They open when they believe they won’t be shamed for having deep feelings.
🔹 They open when they trust that their vulnerability won’t be weaponized and used against them later.

And when they finally do?

They don’t always say it in speeches, or well-articulated sentences.
Sometimes, it’s one-line statements like:

• “I don’t feel like I’m good at this.”
• “I’m trying my best.”
• “I don’t know what else to do.”
• “I feel like I’m failing everyone.”
• Or just “I’m tired.”

As simple as they sound, these are not small statements.
These are open doors.

The unfortunate thing is that the ones they are opening up to don’t walk through them.
They step over them.
Or they miss them completely.

......

God Never Calls Vulnerability Weakness.

As a matter of fact, Scripture is full of men who poured out their emotions before God - David, Elijah, even Jesus. 

There’s nothing soft about softening your heart.

There’s nothing “less than” about letting truth rise to the surface.

And if you’re the spouse listening

Don’t underestimate the moment when your husband, your father, your son…finally speaks.
Because for some men, it’s not just a spool of wire.
It’s their entire identity. 
Their history. 
Their pain.
Wrapped in something that looks insignificant but carries everything.

........

I'll wrap up this way

If you’re a man reading this: You don’t have to carry it alone. 
God is safe. 
And not every listener is careless. 
Choose wise vulnerability. 
But choose it still.

If you’re a woman married to a man: Don’t always expect an essay. 
Look for the sentence. 
The sigh. 
The delayed response. 
The out-of-character quietness. 
And meet it with love, not sarcasm.

For all of us: Let’s make our homes places where it’s safe to feel. 
Safe to say “I’m not okay.” 
Safe to be held when words fail.

Because when the people we love say, “nothing,”
what they may really mean is -
“I wanted to say something, but I wasn’t sure it would matter.”
Let’s make it matter.

👣 Be Better. 
💛 Love Better. 
🙌🏾 Do Better.