Saturday 15 November 1997

This weekend changed my life.

When I first heard about New Warrior Training I was quite not interested. Some kind of initiation into manhood... and I wanted nothing to do with it. That was two years ago.

The reason I wanted nothing to do with it: I was afraid of men.
I certainly didn't want to become a man. And I doubly certaintly didn't want to be associated with men and known as a man. No way.

Almost a year ago I attended a New Warrior graduation ceremony.
The men I saw on stage were not too scary. They were acting as real humans, with feelings, and expressing their emotions.
Hmmmm.
Maybe it's not so bad after all.

After I attended a second graduation, I knew I wanted to do it.

I called my dad and asked if he had ever heard of it.

"Yep! And I've signed up for the weekend in August!"

Wow. I was actually kinda jealous, but really happy for him.

My weekend was this weekend. It really changed my life, but as I write this, I recognize I don't wish to share all the details with the world (even though this site gets so few hits per day...)

But I learned a few things:

• I can trust men and survive.
• Without realizing it, I have grown to be a man.
• There is still a lot more to learn.