What Supports My Growth into Manhood

Michael Burnsie
Guest Writer

I, me, my, mine, Mike, Michael, Burnsie.

That is the person who chooses and supports what happens in my life, and this has led to my growth into manhood. If I am “made in the imagine and likeness of the creator,” then that is where the responsibility lies for who, what, where, why I am.

I give increasing thanks, appreciation, and understanding for the “luck of the draw” when I was born under the care and guidance of Hank and Rusty Burns. They gave me wonderful examples to follow of some good ways to be with myself, others, and life. And they gave me clear examples of ways not to be with others, myself, and life. They were consistent as role models and they were tolerant of my lack of consistency in utilizing their examples.

It took many years of trial and error for me to consciously understand the meaning and execution of their examples. Conscious awareness starting kicking in at around age 38 (1986 when I was initiated by The Men Sex and Power Weekend). By then I had been exposed to national and international communities of people that offered comprehensive bodies of knowledge and experiences to learn from.

Here is a list of what has supported my personal growth:

• The myriad of choices I made: good, bad, or indifferent. 
• Utilizing the results and lessons that come from the choices. 
• Accept the results and appreciate them. 
• Forgive the inaccurate/inappropriate choices and be reinforced by the spot-on choices. 
• Plagiarize all philosophies, opinions, actions that work, especially Buddhism and earth-based philosophies.  
• Recognize that intimately engaging with others can cause endorphin and adrenaline highs, as does consistent, heartrate-raising exercises of choice.
• Be in a community of quality people for long enough to witness their aging, growth, marriage/divorce, children, grandchildren, death
• Lose myself in service.
• Be awed by nature revealing the Creator.
• Forgive seemingly mindless, heartless, soulless human creations, and change the ones I can.
• Use mental, physical, spiritual performance enhancing tools with prudence. 

Baruch Hashem, Amen, Aho! Mitakuye Oyasin! Salaam