I cannot hear about [the woman at the well] now without hearing echoes of the horrors etched across the millions of pages in the Epstein files. Girls, children, preyed upon because like this woman, they would be seen walking home from school alone. In need of companionship, of friendship, of being wanted.

A man disconnected from others is more vulnerable than strong—and more dangerous than heroic. His high walls may look like strength but in truth they are purpose-built for hiding, not protection. In his isolation, he becomes a threat to himself.

Masculinity is a mirage, not a destination. This pernicious illusion doesn't merely deceive our eyes; it torments our souls with the promise of an unattainable ideal.