I read a post today that brought this to my mind......
I feel in our modern society boys and men are being cheated out of something that affects some for a life time. Not only them but also all those they have relationship with and become responsible for. I feel when a man can point to a time in his life and say. "This is the time I became a man" it makes him a better man. I also feel this is why we have so many young men in there twenties and early thirties still acting like teenagers. Anyway here is my question : (gals you can play to!)
If you could institute a 'boy becoming a man ritual' what would it be?
Well, when I grew up, it was when they saved up enough money to buy their first car. Now, many are getting their first cars from there daddies, (sometimes better than mine) when they are 15 or 16.
These days they do almost everything younger than we did.
That's a toughy!
How about when they graduate college?
Or when they get their first real jobs and live independently of their folks?
I don't know, gonna have to think on this for a while.
Yes I know what you are saying; there are many things we can all kinda point to, such as going into the military. But there is not that 'one thing' we all agree on; that one ritual that says you are no longer a boy, you are a man, boy-ish irresponsible behavior from this day forward will be frowned upon by all others. You are a man now so act like one. The closest thing we have is a 18 or 21 year old birthday......see even that is messed up .....which is it.
The military isn't too great any more though...not really a safe environment for a boy to really become a man. The military perpetuates a lot of ego, and unless a boy is already a man, he shouldn't be in the military.
I hadn't noticed I had done that. I only commented when something in the post awakened a new idea, uncovering one sleeping in the corner of my mind stirring it to life. Your post was great and I agreed with every word, nodding my head as I read. When I read savedinChrist's humorous post it stirred the idea that women have a monthly ritual to remind them of their womanhood ; although humorous I felt inappropriate. Then I thought women having their first baby have their womanhood defined ; although appropriate, not humorous to match hers. So I remained silent.
Actually Charlie got me thinking this is a difficult question to answer. As I thought how I would answer thoughts of who should perform such a ritual, family, church or school. Should there be a period of education with a test to be passed preceding the ritual. What about withholding the right to get a drivers license, to drink, perhaps even marry? Not that I think we should do something like that as I see to many conflicts with freedom and the dancer of abuse.
There you have it savedbygrace a glimpse inside my mind.
