With Charlie’s Birthday coming up in December I’ve been trying to figure out what to get Charlie. He has been living with on foot in Texas and one in Oklahoma. This is why I wanted to remind you sometimes the greatest gift we can give our sons isn’t something that comes wrapped in a box. It’s something that helps them understand themselves, discover their purpose, and realize they don’t have to figure everything out alone.
As a mom, there are times when I wish I could wave a magic wand and make everything easier for my children. I wish I could take away their worries, solve their problems, and help them see the things that sometimes take years for us to understand. But that’s not how life works.
And as much as we love our children, there comes a point when we have to recognize that we cannot make every decision for them. We can offer guidance, encouragement, love, and support, but they have to decide what kind of people they want to become. That’s one reason Meditations on Becoming a Man: A Guide to Building Value, Purpose, and Connection in Your Life by Jor-El Caraballo caught my attention.
I immediately thought of Charlie and wondered whether this might be a meaningful addition as a Christmas gift for hin not only for Christmas but his Birthday as well.. If you have a young man in your life I hope you take the time to check out What Is Meditations on Becoming a Man About?
Young men everywhere are asking an important question: What does it mean to be a man?
Licensed therapist and author Jor-El Caraballo approaches that question through thoughtful reflections, practical advice, and questions designed to encourage young men to examine their lives. The book explores several important subjects, including: Identity and purpose. Mental health and stress. Close relationships and community
Confidence and social skills. Personal growth and daily practices. Healthy masculinity Self-awareness and emotional well-being Rather than simply telling young men what they should do, the book gives them opportunities to think about their decisions, understand their feelings, and consider the people they want to become. And honestly, I think that’s something many young men could benefit from.
I would like to introduce you to know the Author One thing I appreciated when researching this book was learning more about its author.Jor-El Caraballo is a licensed therapist, author, and co-founder of Viva, a mental health and wellness practice in New York City.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and his master’s and education master’s degrees in psychological counseling from Teachers College, Columbia University. He is passionate about making conversations about mental health and self-care more accessible.
His other books include The Shadow Work Workbook: Self-Care Exercises for Healing Your Trauma and Exploring Your Hidden Self and Self-Care for Black Men: 100 Ways to Heal and Liberate. Knowing that the author has a professional background in mental health made me even more interested in exploring what this book offers.
Taking a Look Inside the Book The cover caught my attention right away. It has a sandy color with turquoise across the top that reminds me of ocean waves. But what I really enjoyed was opening the book and discovering how it is organized. This isn’t just a collection of random thoughts. It’s arranged into chapters that allow readers to explore different areas of their lives.
Here’s how the book is organized:
Chapter 1: Identity and Purpose: Beginning on page 13, this section encourages readers to examine who they are and what they want their lives to mean. Chapter 2: Mental Health and Stress: Beginning on page 51, this section addresses mental health and the impact stress can have on everyday life. Chapter 3: Close Relationships and Community: Beginning on page 91, this section explores relationships, connections, and the importance of having people around us. Chapter 4: Confidence and Social Skills: Beginning on page 129, this section looks at developing confidence and building healthier interactions with others. Chapter 5: Growth and Daily Practice: Beginning on page 163, this section focuses on continuing to grow and developing everyday habits that support personal development.
I especially appreciated seeing subjects like self-awareness, readiness for dating, stress management, and building healthy relationships included. These aren’t necessarily easy conversations for parents and young adults to have, but they’re important ones.
When I picked up this book, I wasn’t thinking about finding another Christmas present just to fill a stocking. I was thinking about my son. Charlie is 19, and like many young adults, he’s at a point in life where he’s figuring out who he wants to be, what direction he wants to take, and what his future might look like.
There are days when I wish I could help him see things differently. I worry about his confidence, his stress, his relationships, and the decisions he’s making. I also recognize that there are things he has to work through himself. I can’t change everything for him. Neither can his dad, no matter how much we might wish we could. That’s why I found the subjects in this book particularly interesting.
The sections about identity, purpose, mental health, confidence, and relationships are areas where I think Charlie could benefit from taking some time to reflect. I also appreciated that the book addresses organizing your life and time, maintaining your living space, recognizing learned helplessness, and knowing when to ask for help. Those are everyday skills that many of us, regardless of age, could stand to work on. And yes, that includes parents!
One of my favorite things about this book is that it doesn’t stop with the chapters. There are questions for reflection throughout the book, along with additional resources and a group discussion guide. I particularly like the group discussion guide because it gives families an opportunity to talk about what they’re reading.
Sometimes we think that once our children become adults, our parenting responsibilities suddenly disappear. But Charlie is 19, and although he’s grown, he’s still my son. There are still times when he needs his parents, and there are still things we can learn from one another.
I don’t want to simply hand him this book and tell him to go read it. I would much rather sit down together, read through some of the material, answer questions, and talk about what we learn. I think David could benefit from some of these conversations, too and me as well. After all, personal growth doesn’t have an expiration date, and nobody has everything figured out.
Meditations on Becoming a Man is listed at $17 on the back cover, making it an interesting consideration for families looking for a meaningful Christmas gift. This is why you will find the book inside our Christmas Gift Guide. Wish List for the teens on our Christmas List.
I think this book would be worth considering for young men who are transitioning into adulthood, working through questions about their identity, developing confidence, or trying to build healthier relationships. It isn’t a magic solution, and I don’t expect one book to solve all the challenges a young person might face.
But sometimes a book can give us the words to start a conversation we’ve been struggling to have. And sometimes knowing that someone else has thought about the same questions we’re asking can make us feel a little less alone. For me, that’s what makes this book stand out.
My hope is that Charlie will find something within these pages that encourages him to think about the man he wants to become. And perhaps, as we read together, I’ll discover a few things about myself and how I can continue growing as his mom. Because being a parent doesn’t mean we stop learning, and being an adult doesn’t mean we stop needing guidance.
This Christmas, I’m hoping Santa brings Charlie more than another gift to unwrap. I’m hoping he brings him something that encourages him to think about his future, his purpose, and the possibilities ahead. And I plan on being right there beside him as we turn the pages.
Book information: Meditations on Becoming a Man: A Guide to Building Value, Purpose, and Connection in Your Life by Jor-El Caraballo. Published by Adams Media, a division of Simon & Schuster.
Young men are struggling, but licensed therapist and celebrated author Jor-El Caraballo is here to help. This collection of powerful, thought-provoking meditations and reflections gives young men guidance and space to deal with difficult topics, reinforce their purpose, build stronger connections, support their mental health, and better understand what it truly means to be a man.
Young men everywhere are asking the same question: What does it mean to be a man?
Meditations on Becoming a Man combines thoughtful reflections with practical advice, allowing you to contemplate what manhood means, understand yourself more clearly, and build healthy relationships rooted in respect and honesty. Covering topics like identity, purpose, mental health, confidence, healthy masculinity, and more, this book is your roadmap to navigating the real pressures young men face today.
Whether you’re looking for answers, direction, or just a place to start, this book is the pathway to a stronger, healthier relationship with manhood. Make sense of who you are—and who you want to become—with Meditations on Becoming a Man.
Meet the Author: Jor-El Caraballo
Jor-El Caraballo is an author, licensed therapist and Co-founder of Viva, a mental health and wellness practice. He is passionate about de-stigmatizing mental health and self-care. He is the author of The Shadow Work Workbook Self-Care Exercises for Healing Your Trauma and Exploring Your Hidden Self and Self-Care for Black Men: 100 Ways to Heal and Liberate.
Grateful, Thankful. Blessed.
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Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
