You too may overlook your I.B.M. (Ideal Black Man)! (5975 hits)
The swag, the intelligence, the acceptance of God, the strength of mind, the knowledge and appreciation of one's history and family, the good weight of character, the will to overcome all adversity, and the desire to not only climb for self, but to elevate in pursuit of a position that could carry a multitude is what makes up my I.B.M. (Ideal Black Man).
Of course, nowadays, before the emergence of Barack Obama into the National spotlight, the ideal of such a man existing in this day and time seemed utterly ridiculous. In fact, even now, when I sit in the mist of conversations pertaining to this very subject, which are normally sustained by women from different cultures and from a wide range of social-economic backgrounds, the very idea of such a man, besides President Obama, walking the earth has often summoned a hint of laughter. Why is this, I wonder, when there are so many of these men around?
Off the top of my head I can name ten, at least. Oddly, these are the men who don't attract me physically. Most of these men I find too short, too stumpy, too nervous, too old, too bald, or too something another that forces me to keep my distance. It sad to say that if I dated any of these men online, where I wouldn't see their pictures or hear the nervousness in the voices, I would figure that I had found my perfect match.
So what is really the definition of my ideal black man? Is it outlined by the physical? If so, could I then suspect that I would never fully be happy, since physical attributes are destined to fade. Am I foolish to believe that there are such men out there that have the entire package? Thinking on pictures of Barack Obama, Will Smith, and Denzel Washington taking in their early years, I can't help but sense that even studs of today had their awkward stages. Perhaps, its the women whose eyes are fixed on the soul of a man and the potential of his flesh that gets the prize. For as they say, a man only get better with time (when a good woman stands beside him).
