It was my turn to host what has become a fun summer tradition that came about rather spontaneously. It was a GOLDEN SESSION.
There are just times the guys need to convene independently and without female supervision or oversight. I justified this principal in two ways - first citing Brian Tome's recent book "
Five Marks of a Man" and C.S. Lewis's excerpt from "Four Loves".
Long before history began we men have got together
apart from the women and done things. We had to. And to like doing what
must be done is a characteristic that has survival value. We not only had
to do the things, we had to talk about them. We had to plan the
hunt and the battle. When they were over we had to hold a post mortem and
draw conclusions for future use. We liked this even better. We
ridiculed or punished the cowards and bunglers, we praised the
star-performers. We reveled in technicalities. In fact, we talked
shop. We enjoyed one another's society greatly: we Braves, we hunters,
all bound together by shared skill, shared dangers and hardships, esoteric
jokes ---away from the women and children.
What were the women doing meanwhile? How should
I know? I am a man and never spied on the mysteries of the Bona
Dea. They certainly often had rituals from which men were excluded.
......
This pleasure in co-operation, in talking shop, in
mutual respect and understanding of men who daily see one another tested, is
biologically valuable. You may, if you like, regard it as a product of
the gregarious instinct... something which is going on at this moment in dozens
of ward-rooms, bar-rooms, common-rooms, messes and golf clubs. I prefer
to call it Companionship --- or Clubbableness.
In a perfect Friendship.... each member of the circle
feels, in his secret heart, humbled before the rest. Sometimes he wonders
what he is doing there among his betters. He is lucky beyond desert to be
in such company. Especially when the whole group is together, each bringing out all that is best, wisest, or funniest in
all the others. THOSE ARE THE
GOLDEN SESSIONS; when four or five of us after a hard day's walking
have come to our inn; when our slippers are on, our feet spread out towards the
blaze and our drinks at our elbows; when the whole world, and something beyond
the world, opens itself to our minds as we talk; and no one has any claim on or
any responsibility for another, but all are Freemen and Equals as if we had
first met an hour ago, while at the same time an Affection mellowed by
the years enfolds us. Life ---- natural life --- has no better gift to give.
Who could have deserved it?
Whether it's Wednesday Guys Tennis, SVP Cincinnati Guys Appendix club, AC Alumni Partner, Friday Morning Men's Bible Study, or Men's Movie night (e.g. War Movies), Vistage (mainly the guys), we Braves can mark ourselves as MEN not BOYS!
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