The power of a loved one’s words!

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BillRoddy_ManhoodFTHood_FBArt_61913_50Can you remember a powerful statement someone made to you when you were young?

My grandfather and I met on our front porch on that memorable hot August afternoon on the west side of Chicago in 1975.  I was leaving home for the first time to attend college. Little did I know that day would be monumental.

I recall the overwhelming emotions as he spoke to me.

“Son, I am proud of you…………”

As a young man struggling to leave the nest and venture out into the world, my grandfather’s loving and powerful statement validated me as a man.  That was my rite of passage moment that I will never forget.

While mentoring young men for  20 years I have observed that for many no loving adult male figure has confirmed their transition into manhood.  Why do I know this to be true?   I can, feel and sense the uneasiness, pain and anger in them before they utter one single word.

Wouldn’t you agree that it is very powerful when a positive adult male confirms a young boy transitioning into manhood?

Wouldn’t it make a difference if all mentoring programs provided rites of passage ceremonies for young men and women?

Do you remember memorable words another person said to you?

Can teaching youth and young adults entrepreneurship be a job creator?

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BillRoddy_ManhoodFTHood_FBArt_61913_42Wouldn’t it be terrific if entrepreneurship was taught starting in elementary school?

Osiris Organization has witnessed the remarkable benefits of teaching young adults how to become entrepreneurs.

Being a part of their awakening as they learn about business structures, marketing, selling, fiscal responsibility and the creation of the their legacies that they will eventually pass down their children.

As a social entrepreneur, I enjoy growing and learning along with them.  They have become confidants, business partners, wonderful husbands and fathers.

I enjoy listening to their aspirations regarding the legacy they want to leave their young families.

An article in the USA Today by Rick C. Wade highlights much of what we been teaching youth.  Our young adults become the creators of jobs for their community and peers!

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/07/28/hip-hop-business-jay-z-master-p-column/2594409/

Couldn’t our present education system learn from young entrepreneurs?

Wouldn’t it make a difference to students in our schools across our country if young entrepreneurs and our school system formed collaborations?

I hope you find Rick’s article as informative and thought provoking as I have.

 

“Do you remember the day, the event, when you knew…’Now, I truly am a grown man?'” Part 1

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African American father and son

As  we reflect on this upcoming Father’s Day weekend I could not help sharing one of the most powerful statements my grandfather made to me. I was 18 and preparing to leave home for the first time. I remember our conversation as if it took place only a few weeks ago.

 That entire summer was filled with excitement, happiness but also with sadness as I was preparing to transition into manhood. I would be leaving my mentoring role as the oldest grandchild of my grandparents.

Several of my aunt’s children lived with us, my grandfather and grandmother, and I was their mentor and “big brother.”  As I look back on those hot summer August days they were some of most the memorable.

I can still see my aunt’s loving and supportive faces, their kids innocent looks filled with curiosity on our front porch on why I was leaving them to go to this strange place in the north called Minnesota to attend college.

My grandmother stood in the doorway smiling at me as I was about to leave. When she smiled at me she touched my spirit like no other.

“We raised you the best we could and remember that you were loved! Do unto others as you would yourself as you enter the world.”

But a few days earlier, my grandfather made the most powerful statement.

Would a rite of passage benefit so many young fatherless boys?

What would be a useful rite of passage?

Would a loving relationship with an adult male help heal the inner loneliness and anger?

 

Time Well Spent

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Over the weekend I took my son Cordell to Wild Mountain in Taylor Falls, Minnesota. He told me numerous of times about how much fun he was having, you could also see the excitement on his face. We started off by riding the go carts, he couldn’t drive one on his own because he did not meet the height requirement, so he rode with me. The laughing and the smiles of joy did not stop once while we were circling the track. The water slides were followed by the go cart riding, he went down each water slide on his own. We each had our own tube to go down the slides,  he really enjoyed that. He was genuinely happy and he had the time of his life.

Cordell is in the YMCA’s summer program so he goes on field trips all of the time. He has been to: Twins games, movies, different waterparks, museums, and many more places. He has enjoyed all of the field trips that he has been on but I have a feeling that our trip over the weekend was his favorite one of the summer, mainly because he was spending time with his Dad.

I had a great time as well and I concluded that no matter where you send your kid(s) for the summer to have fun, they will have the best time with their parents, at least in their younger years.