"Opening doors for my Daughter." Guest Contribution

Every time I post an article on GMP about taking accountability for yourself and for those around you, I do so knowing full well how a large group of guys will start complaining why they should even care. And even though I know full well it will happen, it still saddens to know that so many men are only thinking about what affects them in their own limited reality.

But then things like this pop up, and restore my hope of humanity, specifically of men within humanity. As I did my usual FB run during my afternoon commute, I ran into this Status Update from David Karpel, a fellowGMP Author and Blogger. Keep in mind Mr. Karpel is not one of those hardcore “Chivalry/Gentlemen” activist, like me and a few others. He is one of those men who exemplify the Warrior-Poet.

"This June will be 20 years that Marni and I are married on the solar calendar (Gimmel Tammuz, 1994). Before that we dated for almost four years. In all the years we've been together, she can probably count on one hand how many times she's opened a door for herself when she's with me. I was not raised to do this. It's just something, a small act, that I've always believed she deserves. I don't feel I'm patronizing or belittling or being anti-feminist, nor do I find the act to be super macho. And I'm not writing this to pat myself on the back. 

It's this: with my wife, I'm raising a daughter.

She's an awesome kid who is fierce, intelligent, beautiful, and growing up fast. Yesterday, I couldn't go to the gym to train. With the extra time, I invited Chana to go to Walmart with me to do some shopping. She responded enthusiastically, so we were set to go. I get to the car to start opening my own door and catch a glimpse of her waiting at the passenger side door. 

Whispering in my conscious was a voice: You are her example of a man, what a man should be, how a man should treat the women in his life. Out of my mouth came, almost to myself, that beginning of something that doesn't need to end, "You know what..." 

Yeah, I know what. And so I walked around the car to open the door for my daughter. Any future choson (groom) should treat her like the kallah (bride) she will be: a queen in his life. And as her father, it is my responsibility to train her to find the kind of man that will treat her as she deserves to be treated."

If you find this FB status impressive, you should look over his articles on GMP and his Blog, Jew Jitsu, Life in search of the Soul Roll.