There's so much pressure in being a man... it is expected that the man be there for his woman, listens to her, meets her needs, breaks down her walls, gives her his shoulder to cry on, fight for her, teach her love if her ex man ruined for her the meaning of love, massage her, message her, find out if she's OK, make her feel OK if she isn't, make her feel on top of the world, provide for the family come what may...

But sometimes men need rescuing too. A man needs his woman to love on him, to listen to him, massage him, pray for him, tell him everything will be alright, help him solve problems, tell him "Honey, I've got this"...

He needs his woman to help heal his wounds...Blessed is the man who has a woman who loves him, a woman who can look at his eyes and tell him, "You are not OK, talk to me. Don't fight your battles alone”.

He needs a woman who will meet his needs even before he asks (men RARELY ask; a loving woman doesn't wait to be asked) ... A woman who is not always waiting for her man to give, but actively gives and loves too.

Men are expected to be ever strong, ever on top of their game. But men are human, they get low sometimes; at times they need encouragement and inspiration, sometimes their heart hurts and cries, sometimes they feel lost.

For some, it is these expectations that lead them to make regrettable choices, they break under pressure, they suffer from depression and stress and the wife doesn't know... they suppress their emotions and eventually those pent up emotions blow up in the form of alcoholism, addictions, hopelessness, lack of vision, a violent nature, rage and emptiness and sometimes suicide.

There are many men who are struggling with issues that their women have no idea about because those men show no emotions. But the love of that special woman can keep the man going, can keep him together, boosting his strength as she tells him, "Honey, you are not alone. I've got your back!".

That's how powerful a woman is to a man. Lady, know your man; stand by your man as he stands by you. See behind the mask of unfailing strength he wears for the public.

© Akello Oliech & Dayan Masinde