That One Time at Burning Man ...

The annual sojourn to Black Rock Desert, for Burning Man, has been a staple experience in both my children's lives. The life lessons of perseverance, survival, compassion, personal growth, artistic expression, etc. are invaluable.

Burning Man is much more than meet's the laymen's eye;

it is a culture, a way of living, and a way of loving.

The Ten Principles of Burning Man are a set of values engrained, embraced, and incorporated into my children's lives and mine; values we practice both on, and off the Playa ...

Radical Inclusion: We welcome and respect the stranger

Gifting: We are devoted to acts of gift-giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value.

Decommodification: We seek to create social environments that are unmediated by commercial influences. We stand to protect our loved ones and our communities from exploitation.

Radical Self-reliance: We nurture self-discovery; we exercise, and rely on our inner resources and strengths

Radical Self-expression: We honor, support, and encourage expression of each individual's unique gifts; we respect one's liberties and rights to express their gifts radically. We maintain respect and awareness for the receiver's liberties and rights, as well.

Communal Effort: We value creative cooperation and collaboration. We strive to produce, promote, and protect social networks, public spaces, works of art, and methods of communication that support such interaction.

Civic Responsibility: We value civil society. We contribute to the communities we are a part of; we take responsibility for bettering experiences within

Leaving No Trace: We respect the environment. We are committed to leaving no physical trace of our activities wherever we gather. We clean up after ourselves and endeavor, whenever possible, to leave such places in a better state than when we found them.

Participation: We are committed to a radically participatory ethic. We believe that transformative change, whether in the individual or in society, can occur only through the medium of deeply personal participation. We achieve being through doing. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. We make the world real through actions that open the heart.

Immediacy: Immediate experience is, in many ways, the most important touchstone of value in our culture. We seek to overcome barriers that stand between us and a recognition of our innerselves, the reality of those around us, participation in society, and contact with a natural world exceeding human powers. No idea can substitute for this experience

(to see the official verbiage of The Ten Principles of Burning Man, please see:

https://survival.burningman.org/culture/the-10-principles/)

Burning Man was a huge part of Sawyer’s heart. In his 14 years, he made the pilgrimage to the Playa five times. He enjoyed sharing stories of the desert with his friends and even did several presentations at school on the principles.

He was in awe at the vastness of the desert and the possibilities it represented.

It was on his 5th burn, the year Sawyer did a solo bike ride to the Man.

His many sojourns to the desert had rendered him a seasoned Burner; his sense of direction was keen, and he knew his way around and through Black Rock City well enough that when he said, “Mom, I’m ready to ride my bike to the Man by myself,” I knew he was ready.

With his camp's address and information, water, goggles, bandana, snacks, etc. in tow, we reviewed how and who to ask for help if need be. And off he went. He came back about a half hour later, grinning and blowing bubbles with a fairy godmother in pigtails on a tricycle, leading him home.

Sawyer continues his sojourning to the desert with us each year; he takes flight in different form now; his presence, and power more all-mighty than ever )'(

Welcome Home, Son.