Men and Directions

We've all witnessed the scene of The Man putting together the piece of furniture/toy/electronic device. He has heavy-duty Man Tools at his side and his brow is furrowed as he attempts for the third time to get the piece together. The directions lay unopened, tossed to the side.

I've never been able to understand why men won't just follow the directions. I mean, it's right there, in step-by-step form... what could be more simple? I believed that men rejected the directions because they thought they were above them. A kind of arrogance I guess.

Then at Christmas, I watched Peanut-lover and my dad putting various toys together, directions tossed aside, of course. And I knew they were doing it wrong. Because I had read the directions. But if I have learned only one thing over the many years of being married it is this: don't mention the directions. Just don't. (Sometimes I do. I'm still working on it.)

Watching them, I realized that it isn't that they think they are above the directions. They just love the challenge. Men love to build and figure things out. It's just part of their God-given maleness.

And so, yeah, it might take them a little longer than if they'd read the directions first. But they are having fun. Man fun. Power-tools-whether-they-are-required-or-not-fun.

Dad, Peanut-lover, little brother, any other manly men who will admit to reading my blog... am I wrong here?