Boys Program: Day 1

Hopefully I can keep this going a little better, with more "time" on my hands than during the girls' program.

The inevitable comparison between boys and girls is the first thing that comes to mind, as I sit here pretending to come up with something worth reading. Everyone, however, asks how they compare - so I figure maybe someone is actually as interested as I!

First off, they seem to change a lot more physically from year to year. 2012 he is only 4'6" and scrawny, and 2013 he is 5'11" and scrawny - and fast! Another is 6'3" and still another has gone from awkward teen to emerging young man. Then there are those that come as little boys and come back as chunky little boys about to burst through a growth spurt. Their attitudes change too, and the pillow fights become more dangerous. All the more reason to prevent them I guess...

Another difference, less noticeable, but just as real is the way they express nerves, excitement, and get a sense for their peer group. Within a couple of hours they push one another, slap backs, burp... Last night it struck me that it was a way of exhibit their "toughness" and camaraderie.  Strangely enough, from this emerges clear leaders - the gentle kind and the rough kind.

Sacraments - especially confession with which we begin this day - balances the playing field. With the young men, more than with the young women, it is absolutely crucial to steer these leaders in the right direction. The rest is cake.

Finally, there are the dishes. The girls argue about who is going to do the washing, and whether everyone is doing their fair share. The boys, instead, argue about who is "supervising" and who will do the washing the quickest. Either case it is a matter of controlling the situation or causing the least amount of ripples, but the girls seem to more readily take the chore as an inevitable part of being on retreat. Unlike the guys, however, it is all about appearance - if I move the rags around, maybe they'll THINK I'm working and we can go. The guys instead are shocked every year, and every day --- how fast can they get it done, and how little work can they get away with doing? .