litchell has an alter-ego

many of you may be aware that i have a love/hate relationship with one of the recurring protagonists in my blog litchell. recently, the man upon which much of the character was based received some disturbing responses from friends and family as a result of the blogs he was featured in, earlier this year. as it has became known that he was the man behind my incredibly cunning alias he was questioned by some close to him about the real role he played and the percentage of accuracy regarding the details released as the stories unfolded.

to say that litchell represents a composite of men that i and my friends have dated would be true, but it is also accurate that he is the soul and the spirit behind much of the work and certainly remains the inspiration for the character litchell. litchell is more about the best intentions that many of the men in my life possess. whether the women in their lives are hurt by their actions, words and behaviors, it can usually be said that their intentions began as good spirited. somewhere along the way they became "caught-up" in situations that got the best of them, and eventually, those situations caused them to lose people that once meant the world to them in their past. i am not going to go into how i feel about men being passive in the role they play in their own emotional and spiritual demise, in this post. but if you are familiar with my work - you know.

so it is with litchell that i attempted to create a viable fable that men can use to learn from as they get into one scrape or another. The man the character was based upon though is much more of a bear than a lion. he is a protector of his family and friends, he uses his wit, intellect and charm to engender those around him, and he is much more of a trusted advisor than imp. in my zeal to spread the word, and purge myself of old relationships i was less than gracious and certainly, no lady, in my recounting of our interactions. he advised me in no uncertain terms that i threw him under the bus (metaphorically speaking) and created difficulty in his relationships with his family. he is not someone who shares a lot of his personal life with those in or out of his inner circle so my soap-boxing created an uncomfortable and perhaps even unwarranted attention and speculation.

to those who might believe litchell and his inspiration are without redemption, know that he is a strong, caring, gentle, intuitive, thoughtful friend who has provided me with solace and support. i consider him a true friend and believe that even with his gruff exterior he would lay down his pride, sword, and best interest to aid those he loves. his heart is a bit tattered, his perceptions on women may need to be refined by a strong, loving women with the wisdom to nurture and cherish him. but he is worth the time and effort. while i would not be me if i recounted what i have written, i do regret making him feel as though i don't value him, his privacy or his reputation. all of these things are of paramount importance to me and i will tread gently, if at all, in the future whenever litchell is allowed to grace my posts.

great friends and good men are hard to find. when you do find one ladies, hold tight and remember cherish means

cher·ish

[cher-ish] Show IPA

–verb (used with object)

1.  to hold or treat as dear; feel love for: to cherish one's native land.

2.  to care for tenderly; nurture: to cherish a child.

3.  to cling fondly or inveterately to: to cherish a memory.