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As I was relaxing after a long day today, Preston came into the bedroom excitedly. He stuttered and choked on his words a little as he told me that he had just got a call that The Man Cave was open tonight and he’d be headed out shortly. It’s the one thing he can do on his own and I’m not invited. 🤣. I kid him that it’s more like “The He-man Woman Haters Club”. He’s headed to meet Alfalfa and Buckwheat.

I told him to make sure he took his house key and locked me inside. He stood a few inches taller as he told me he would and that he wouldn’t be out too late. He looks forward to man cave nights.

The man cave.

The man cave is located at my brother’s house which is just through the woods from our home. It’s a meeting place for 3 men, all in different stages of their lives, all fighting battles that most know nothing about.

These three men are men that I love more than anything in this world. These three are also the strongest men I know. My Preston. My brother, Ken. And my Pop. And they share an incredible bond.

Ken was the first person I called from the hospital when Preston suffered his aneurysm. Ken came and picked me up from the hospital as Preston was being flown out. Ken was the one that got our house handicap accessible so Preston could come home all those months later. I don’t remember a time in my life that my brother wasn’t there. Ever.

Pop. Pop is the one person that we can call and say “meet me outside with a shovel, a bag of cement mix, and a flashlight.” He’ll be there with no judgement and no questions asked. When you ask him for advice, you ain’t getting it….. because he will say “look at what a mess I made of my own life”.

All 3 of these men live their lives as fully as they can. Preston blows me away with his art. Ken is a master craftsman in his own right. Pop is like the Energizer bunny.

All three of these men have gracefully accepted that when sickness and disease entered into their lives, many relationships/friendships fizzled out. All three of them have pulled their immediate families closer and learned to cherish and love on a whole new level.

The Man Cave is nothing deep, yet it’s deeper than most can grasp. Gathered right about now are 3 men in a little room listening to a little music or watching a show called Hee Haw. In a little while, Preston will head back through the woods on the only set of wheels he can drive….his red Polaris Ranger. Pop will head out in the opposite direction through the woods on his white Polaris Ranger. Ken will probably step through door of the man cave and into his workshop and make something beautiful until the wee hours of the night.

I can only speak for Preston, but when he comes back home, he’ll be walking a little taller and his man card will be a little shinier. Whether deep conversations were had, or they just watched a little TV, for a few sweet hours, Preston was included and with 2 of his best friends.

That shine in his eyes comes without a price tag.