"Helping Dads listen to their teenagers gave so much air to my Soul."
- Genya Klaiman

Father's Day has come and gone, yet the experiences Tim & I had with all the men at Saturday's Dads & Sons event are fresh in our minds.

It was a gloriously beautiful sunny day on The Land, and the best weather for our event in The Village by the pond. Men arrived slowly, two-by-two, as the morning sun warmed the ground and air around us. The act of showing up to spend time together, in this often busy world, is no small thing. We are grateful for the gift of presence that each man brought.

We asked each Son to speak about how they felt, and what their intention was for the day. Then we spoke with each Dad, and asked what he thought about his Son. We each carry so many stories in our minds and hearts about the ones we love, and the same was true for these Dads and Sons. It was clear to me that these stories can get in the way of seeing people as they really are, and then, surprisingly, it dawned on me: I hold stories about Tim that prevent me from seeing him as he truly is, too. It was a profound realization for me, and I think for the other Dads as well. We could feel the shift as it happened, one of many that we were privileged to witness that day.

We went on a MovNat quest in the forest, gathering sticks to go on a "hunt" and then walking in silence. At some point there was this point - you could feel it building - and we all threw the spears into the forest. It felt like we were all warriors. It was a wild moment.

It was amazing seeing all the Sons being boys, and all the Dads being boys with their boys instead of holding some authority or stiffness.

By the end of the very action-packed day, we gathered together and every son and dad got into a duo with their own task for the lunch. Everyone had their own techniques, for example, one father and son put a bowl on top of a bunch of tomatoes to slice them all in half, and another duo were mashing potatoes and getting the technique together by twisting a jar or pressing it down. It was interesting seeing all these different duos make a whole part together. We sat down together at the table on the balcony with a view for 100 miles, and had a wonderful meal with sharing and such beautiful appreciation, for as much as we helped create it, we were lucky to experience it.

After dinner, I asked Tim to go with the Sons and facilitate a circle for them, while I went with the Dads and facilitated another circle. We each asked the men in our group: "How would you continue to encourage this independent relationship with your Dad/Son?" The intense introspection from each of the men present was palpable. It was an honour to witness their concentration and the importance they placed not only on answering but also on their renewed relationship.

Throughout the day, we helped the men stretch, strengthen, support each other, focus their energies, and lift each other up. We shared food and feelings, fears and fulfillment, and left with pleasantly tired bodies and overflowing hearts.

If the Universe conspires with us, we hope to offer the opportunity for Dads and Sons to connect with each other in nature multiple times each year.

⁠Genya & Tim