M3 and Me
When a man is considering joining a M3 group, each member who is at the biweekly meeting of the existing group is typically asked to share ‘their story’ for a couple of minutes. My story dates back to mid-2001 when I moved to Yardley in Bucks Co, PA after spending the previous 20 years in Delaware Co, west of Philadelphia. A good buddy told me of M3 and so when they had a special session following the 9-11 terrorist attack, I attended and signed onto attending the biweekly sessions in Somerville, NJ (now Lambertville, and Zoom since Covid). I was new to Bucks County and knew essentially no one and commuted daily to work in Philly and to NYC on weekends to visit family.
My 2nd engagement broke up 2 years earlier and I was in the early stage of a new relationship. I desired some new friends and a place to talk about my feelings of isolation, starting over with love, and considering new job opportunities. I found a diverse yet welcoming group of men. Now about 20 years later, I realize almost a third of my life has been spent with M3. I think most folks don’t spend a third of their life with something that has not been valued and valuable, certainly not me.
M3 offers the opportunities to play, share, and be serious, in varied proportions depending on your desires and needs at the time. At any one time, men are planning social events, trips, treks, or talking about a lost parent, sibling, child, job, or relationship, the problems with existing ones, or the struggles with beginning anew.
During my time with M3, I’ve lost both parents, 2 jobs, changed career direction and jobs a couple of other times, was finally married, gained weight, lost weight, faced some health challenges, planned retirement, and made several new friends … some casual, some deep and life-altering. Most every issue I’ve dealt with over the past 20 years, I had learned from other men’s’ experiences before my I went through it myself. Then when dealing with my own challenges I’d hear other men’s perspectives; and finally, I could share my own ‘lessons-learned’ based on my experience.
To me, being part of M3 is like having a group of brothers, some older, some younger. Sometimes you play, sometimes you fight, but you always learn from each other with the goal of helping men live happier, healthier, and more expansive lives.
I certainly endorse the “M3 experience” … as I’ve heard from our founder and adopted in my approach to several arenas in life, “Like a coat, try it on; if it fits wear it, if it doesn’t, put it back on the rack”
Howard Greenberg