Boy Scouts teaches lessons?!?
I was a Boy Scout for over 9 years. I was 4 merit badges away from become an Eagle Scout. The busy life of high school got in the way of that. I was in it mostly for the fun and brotherhood. Boy, the trouble we got in…. It was a good place for boys to be boys.
Don’t get me wrong; The Boy Scouts of America is by no means a saintly organization. It is run by some of the most ego-maniacal bureaucrats outside of the U.S. Congress. Even district chapters suffer from gross corruption. At the local level, however, the Scouts can be good organizations. I remember lots of community service, including helping the elderly, the impoverished, churches, and schools.
The guidelines for living a decent life is perfectly worded in the Scout Law. Just like Kindergarten, all the values you need to learn to live are found in the Scout Law. The law itself is very simple. It starts with “A scout is…” and is followed by 12 simple words:
- Trustworthy
- It is very important to be able to be relied on at all times. Nobody likes dishonesty, even though everyone keeps voting for it.
- Loyal
- This does not mean blind loyalty, or blind patriotism. This is standing by your friends and family in times of need. Never abandon loved ones.
- Helpful
- Always have the helpful attitude. Never say, “Well, I didn’t cause it, so I shouldn’t help fix it.” Be someone people can rely on.
- Friendly
- Don’t be introverted. Don’t scowl at people. Be the first one to say ‘Hi’ to strangers. Everyone will remember how nice you are.
- Courteous
- If everyone showed common courtesy instead of being rude and demanding everyone else to be tolerant of your indecency, the world would be a much better place. What every happened to this one?
- Kind
- Gentle would also work in this spot. Don’t be aggressive in your relationships. It only causes bad feelings.
- Obedient
- Just like loyalty, this does not imply blind obedience. This means listening to people who have more experience than you and taking that advice to heart.
- Cheerful
- Always have a positive attitude. Be one of those ‘Glass half full’ types of people. Kill the negative vibes.
- Thrifty
- This applies to more than being good with money. This also means doing the best with what you have.
- Brave
- Show no fear!
- Clean
- Wash behind your ears.
- Reverent
- This does not necessarily mean be devout in your faith. This means always hold something higher than yourself. Nobody is the center of the Universe.
I hope you would agree that if everyone would follow these simple rules, the world would be a much better place.
Wow, that’s kind of preachy, huh?
E out.