It takes a lot of living
Just to grow into a man,
You go from boyhood right through 'teens
Without a thought-out plan .
It takes a lot of living
For a boy to be a man,
And he's got a lot of learning
In the years that he must span.
He's got to be forgiving
To those hurts he'll get each day,
And roll with all those punches
In a manly sort of way.
And when he's finally made it
His assurance will stand out
Among the many "so-called" men
Whose manhood is in doubt.