I'm reading Rollo Tomassi's third installment to his Rational Male series, "Positive Masculinity," and he talks about how the tradition of celebrating when a boy becomes a man has been conveniently taken out of the male experience. It got me thinking... when did I become a man? Or better stated, when did I decide to call myself one?

So, when did you know, in your heart of hearts, that you were no longer a boy and had now become a man? Did your father, uncle, or any other male role model in your life celebrate this with or for you? Do you still, deep down, consider yourself a boy?

If you didn't have a male celebration into man-hood, what events had to happen, or pre-requisites did you have to accomplish, in order to allow yourself to identify as a man and not a boy?

No one ever celebrated my transition, but I come from a traditional family that respects the patriarchal role of the male in the family. Still, I can't help but wonder what a celebration of my transition into "adulthood" would've been like or what it could have done for me.

I think in the future if I ever have a son, I will make it a priority of mine to celebrate his transition into manhood memorable and educational so that he will not only have pride in who he is but so that he can be confident and proud to be a man.