jacob leavitt

As a youth camp counselor this summer I had a tender experience. Toward the end of the week, the directors, a married couple, shared with the youth that prior to the summer, their son had died tragically. After they told this story, a few teenage boys in my cohort approached them and, with tears in their eyes, thanked them for sharing. I was impressed with the empathy and sincerity that these teenage boys showed. Like Christ, they had mourned with those that mourned and comforted those that stood in need of comfort. Later, one of the boys, we’ll call him Mark, asked to speak with me. Mark was about 16 years old. He was athletic and large — the epitome of a high school football star. As we spoke, Mark told me that he wanted to experience more compassion in his life. He worried, however, because his family and friends adopt the mentality that men don’t empathize and 'the boys' don’t discuss feelings.