On the growing of Men

On the growing of Men:

There are moments when we have to cast off our comfortable habits, get outside of our institutions, bend a few rules, and take matters into our own hands. A couple weeks ago, I went out in the woods with 3 other motivated men, and 15 teenage boys, for our Eagle Island Wilderness Survival High Adventure trip. These boys were challenged in ways they have never seen in polite society. They were challenged to work together just to get a drink of clean water, to rely on each other for the comfort of their sleep, the quality of their food, and the character of their fun. Nature threw in a couple surprises for us, and we engineered some stress of our own to keep it all interesting, but by the end of the week, 15 young men left the island with more self-confidence, a better appreciation of teamwork, an ability to be self-reliant, and a gratitude for the comforts of home they might not have had going out.

When I wonder if my youth programs have an impact, I need only think of the story a mother told yesterday about one of her sons who attended this camp 4 years ago - he is now in Ghana, serving a 2 year mission there, and she is convinced that the hardships he faced on my trip then, prepared him for the struggles he faces now. I can think of no greater reward than witnessing the practical application of the bushcraft, survival, self-reliance, and self-confidence skills I've tried to teach over the years.

A hearty Thank-You is owed to the other men who assisted me, kept things going when I myself got ill, related to the boys in ways I couldn't, and complimented my style of leadership with their own, providing a broad spectrum of excellent examples for the youth to look up to. I also want to thank the boys for rising to the occasion, and making it a positive experience for everyone, and for bringing their "A Game" when it came to behaving with courtesy and respect, when sometimes that was the hardest thing to do while wet, cold, hungry, and tired. You all have my respect for making it through a very challenging week.