La Bestia and the Battle Against Time: A Metaphor for Men Who Lead

I've been reading a compelling book titled La Bestia, which details the harrowing journey of migrants who cling to the roofs and ladders of a freight train on their way to the U.S. border. I also watched a documentary of the same name—La Bestia, directed by Pedro Ultreras and Hiram Gonzalez—which vividly captures the lives of those desperate enough to risk it all aboard this infamous train, known colloquially as The Beast or El Tren de la Muerte.

But what gripped me wasn’t just the human suffering or the geopolitical implications. What struck me was the train itself—relentless, powerful, indifferent. And the more I reflected on it, the more I saw in La Bestia a perfect metaphor for something every man faces daily: time.

Time is the Train. You Are the Passenger.

The parallels are striking:

• The train runs a fixed path—no emotion, no breaks, no waiting. So does time.
• You can jump on, plan ahead, or ignore it completely. The train doesn’t care. Neither does time.
• Some migrants cling to the side of the train without preparation—desperate and unready. Many fall off.
  Some people live that way with time. They try to “ride” it without respecting it.

But others prepare. They plan, they brace for the wind and jerks, they hold on with everything in them.
They endure the hard miles and reach their destination.
So it is with the men who respect time.

Leadership on the Train: The Jaime Principle

In the La Bestia documentary, one group of migrants is led by Jaime—a 30-year-old former gang member trying to return to the U.S. after being deported. With the woman he loves (Lupita) beside him and a ragtag group of travelers behind him, Jaime emerges as a remarkable leader.

He keeps his group focused and unified.
He negotiates alliances, maintains discipline, and makes tough calls.
He even gets it wrong—once leading his group into a high-risk police zone—but refuses to crack under pressure.
And finally, at the banks of the Rio Grande, Jaime escorts his group across the river one by one, returning again and again until everyone is safe.

That is masculine leadership in action.

Most of the travelers didn’t know what they were doing. They were frightened, underprepared, and just holding on. Jaime wasn’t perfect—but he had vision, courage, and direction. And that made all the difference.

Conclusion: Don’t Just Ride—Lead

Every man is on the train. Time is moving.
And most of the people in your life—your wife, your children, your friends—have no real plan. They want to reach the “Promised Land,” but they don’t know how.

They need someone to lead.

Be that man. The one who respects the train.
Who prepares for the journey.
Who gets back on the tracks when life throws him off.
And most of all—the man who doesn’t just make it to the other side...
but makes sure others get there too.