rite of passage

Last weekend, I took my 13yr old son on an overnight backpacking trip deep in the National Forest. We walked 4 miles each day of steep hills and beautiful scenery.  The distance was far enough to push his physical limits with a pack on, but not enough to break him.  After we had set up camp and each eaten our military MRE, we sat down and I spoke some important things into his life.  Then I gave him his first real knife.  It was incredible to spend that focused time with my son.