Be Prepared

Be Prepared

I am thankful that my parents encouraged me to join the Boy Scouts. Early on they saw that I had a need to be active in something other than getting in trouble. It didn’t take me long to catch on that scouting was fun and a safe place to explore life in the great outdoors. I started out as Cub Scout then a Boy Scout and an Explorer Scout.

When I wasn’t in school, I was scouting. Along with the weekly meetings, there were summer and winter campouts. I learned how to tie knots, shoot a gun, make a fire, use Morse Code, portage a canoe, pack a Duluth Pack, cook with a Dutch Oven, track animals, recognize flora and fauna, find the Big Dipper, basic First Aid, sharpen a knife, chop with an ax and a myriad of other practical life skills.

When I was in Boy Scouts I advanced as far as Star Scout and earned the honor of Order Of The Arrow. As I matured, I became Assistant Troop Leader. During my summers off from the seminary I worked at a large Boy Scout Reservation as a Camp Director and finally as Personal Director. I say all of this not to brag but to acknowledge the role Scouting had in teaching me life skills but also the opportunity to grow in leadership skills.

The motto of the Boy Scout Movement is “Be Prepared.” For an overly responsible person like myself, this was meat to eat. I didn’t realize it at the time, but this motto has defined my life. I have come to realize that life doesn’t allow you to be prepared for everything but it does give you plenty of opportunity to be physically, emotionally and spiritually prepared for life’s surprises.

Recently, I woke up in the middle of the night with a song running through my head. It was one I had not sung for over fifty years. In fact, the last time I sang it was around a campfire. “Softly falls the light of day while our campfire fades away; silently each Scout should ask, ‘Have I done my daily task? Have I kept my honor bright? Can I guiltless sleep tonight? Have I done and have I dared everything to Be Prepared.’” Scout Vesper Prayer