How I Envision the Complete Secondhand Lions Speech For My Sons
The iconic speech from Secondhand Lions has always inspired me, and I’ve often wondered what the full speech might have been. So, for my sons, my son-in-law, and young men everywhere, this is how I envision it—a lesson I would pass down, a legacy of what it truly means to be a man.
One day, I won’t be here to guide you, but the principles of honor, courage, love, and faith must live on. Manhood isn’t just about strength; it’s about character—standing tall when the world tries to bend you and holding true to something greater than yourself. So listen closely, because if there’s one truth I could leave you with, one lesson to carry forward, it’s this: this is what it means to be a man.
Hub McCann leans forward, his weathered hands resting on his knees. His voice is steady, firm, like a man who’s seen the world for what it is—the good, the bad, and the ugly. He locks eyes with the boy, making sure every word sinks in. Because this isn’t just advice… this is the truth of life.
“Alright, boy. You listen, and you listen good. The world ain’t always gonna be kind. It ain’t always gonna be fair. You’re gonna see things, hear things, feel things that’ll shake you down to your bones. You’ll come to a point where you ask yourself: What kind of man am I gonna be?
That’s a choice only you can make. But if you want to walk this world as a real man, as a man worth his salt, then you’ve got to live by a code. A man without a code is like a ship without a compass—he drifts, he wanders, and eventually, he sinks. But a man with a code? He stands strong, no matter the storm.
And here’s that code. You take it, you live it, and you’ll never go wrong.
Stand Up for What’s Right
Now, let me tell you something that most folks won’t: Doing the right thing ain’t always easy. In fact, it’s usually the hardest damn thing you’ll ever do.
There’ll be times when standing up for what’s right makes you the odd man out. You might lose friends over it. You might lose jobs over it. You might even take a beating over it. But you do it anyway.
Why? Because a man doesn’t turn a blind eye to wrong just because it’s easier. He doesn’t stay quiet when he should speak up. He doesn’t sit on the fence when he knows damn well what side he ought to be on.
Right is right, even if you’re the only one standing for it.
And if you don’t stand for something, boy, you’ll fall for anything.
Defend those Weaker than You
A man’s strength ain’t just measured by how hard he can hit or how much he can lift. No, a man’s real strength is measured by how he uses it. And a man—a real man—uses his strength to protect those who can’t protect themselves.
You see, the strong don’t prey on the weak. Cowards do that. Bullies do that. But not men.
If you ever see a man hurting a woman, mistreating a child, or taking advantage of someone smaller or weaker than him, you step in. You don’t look the other way. You don’t pretend it ain’t your problem. You step in.
That’s what separates the good men from the rest.
The world’s full of people who take, take, take. But a man? A man gives. He gives protection. He gives help. He gives his time, his effort, his strength—to the ones who need it.
And when the world looks at him, they see not just a man… but a good man.
True Love and the Bonds of Brotherhood
Love is the strongest thing there is, boy. Don’t let the world tell you different.
You see, a lot of men go through life afraid of love. They think it makes them weak, soft, vulnerable. But the truth is, love is what makes a man strong. Love is what makes a man fight.
If you find a good woman—one who stands by you, one who believes in you, one who sees you for who you are—you hold on to her. You treat her right. You protect her, not because she’s weak, but because she’s worth protecting.
You don’t lie to her. You don’t make promises you can’t keep. And you sure as hell don’t walk away when things get tough.
Because love? Real love? It’s worth fighting for.
And just like a man needs love, he also needs his brothers.
A man don’t walk this road alone. He needs a few good men by his side—men he can trust, men who’d fight beside him, men who’d never leave him stranded when the going gets rough. You find those men, and you keep ‘em close.
Because one day, you’re gonna need them. And one day, they’re gonna need you.
Having Faith and Building a Legacy
Now, there’s one more thing I need you to understand.
The world? It ain’t just made of what you can see, what you can touch. There’s something bigger than all of us. Something greater.
Some men call it God. Some call it fate. Some just know deep down that there’s a force out there, guiding things along.
A man’s gotta have faith in something, boy. Because without it, life don’t mean much.
Faith ain’t about knowing all the answers. It’s about believing in something even when you don’t have all the proof. It’s about holding on, even when life tries to tear you down.
And let me tell you this: The way you live your life? It matters.
Because one day, you’ll be an old man sitting in a chair, looking back at the life you built. And when that day comes, I want you to be able to say, I did right.
I want you to look in the mirror and see a man who stood for something. A man who fought for what was right. A man who protected the weak, honored his word, loved with all his heart, and lived with faith.
Because in the end, that’s what a man’s legacy is.
It ain’t about how much money you made, how many women you had, or how many people feared you.
It’s about how many people respected you. How many people you helped. How many people will remember you and say, That man… That man lived right.
Words to Live By and Pass On
So you remember this, boy.
Sometimes… the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most.
That people are basically good.
That honor, courage, and virtue mean everything.
That power and money? Money and power? They don’t mean a damn thing.
That good always triumphs over evil.
And most of all… that love—true love—never dies.
Doesn’t matter if it’s true or not.
A man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in.
You live by that, and you’ll do just fine.”
So now you know. This is the code, the legacy, the truth of what it means to be a man. It’s not about wealth, power, or what the world says you should be—it’s about the choices you make, the integrity you hold, and the way you stand when life tests you. You will stumble, you will face hardships, but if you live by these principles—honor, courage, love, and faith—you will walk a path worth following.
One day, I won’t be here to remind you, but my hope is that these words will stay with you, guiding you when the road ahead is unclear. Live well. Stand strong. Protect what matters. And never forget—these are the things worth believing in. Thank you Hub McCann for helping me as I become one of the new generation of Secondhand Lions.
