Flushing Emotions

Hello November, a.k.a the unassuming, the stoic and the unbothered. But here it is, often overshadowed as end-of-year dread, quietly marked as 'Men's Mental Health month'. Who knew eh? And as if that wasn't already hilariously questioned enough, today, the 19th of November, is also World Toilet Day! I kid you not, the coincidence is so rich it borders on satire. Men, our mind's and toilets, both often neglected, both essential, and both, let's be honest, a bit clogged at times.

Interestingly, Men are curious beings. We strut about, chests puffed out like proud ducks, pretending to have it all figured out. Crying? eh, thats for women. Talking about feelings? You must be joking. Real men were taught to endure, to bear the brunt of everything without so much as a whimper. Such is what we were brought up on, the unseen badge of honor to live as some stoic statues, cracking only when no ones looking. Mmm .. But inside? We are pressure cookers waiting to blow, full of anxieties we dare not name.

And what's our refuge, you ask? Yep, 10 points to you, its the Toilet. The temple of temporary escape, the Inner Sanctum, if you will. It's the one place a man can retreat without suspicion. "I need five minutes".. that's our constant mutter, locking the door, phone in hand, scrolling through football scores or Instagram reels while we pretend to contemplate on life's greatest mysteries. Heh, you see, this porcelain sanctuary is.. ironically, where many of the men confront our demons. The worlds outside may demand phlegmatic men, but in here, vulnerability seeps through.. quietly.

I mean, don't get me wrong .. World Toilet Day isn't just a cheeky aside, I feel like its a sobering reminder that, even in this age, there are yet millions across the world who may not have access to this basic necessity. While we sit comfortably on these ceramic thrones, others grapple with the indignity of open fields. Just as society overlooks proper sanitation, it kind of dismisses mental health as an after thought, the un-verbal fart into thin air. In both cases, neglect leads to a slow, festering decay.

Look at the parallels, then. A neglected toilet and neglected mind seems to have much in common. Both accumulate filth over time. Both require regular maintenance. And both, when ignored, wreck havoc on everything around them.

So, my fellow Men, this November, let's address the real crap. No more bravado on being 'just fine'. If this world is ready to dedicate a day to flushing out physical waste, surely we must find the moments to flush out our emotional baggage too. Speak up, vent, even weep (yes we are capable of it) if you must. It's not a sign of weakness. I really see it as great courage and braveness to confront one's worries and mental health.

Also for Heaven's sake, let's fix that dripping faucet in the loo while we are at it .. as I hear, Fixing things is the last bastion of manliness.

I know, this is our fortress of solitude, but the world also needs us strong, emotionally healthy men, and not martyrs silently suffering in the stench of our own egos.

And No, No-one except our respective spouse, cares about how long we are in there.

Just as long as we come out a little lighter, mentally and physically.