Thoughts of the Day from Mickey 7/15/15

The shape of the Scout insignia, the fleur de lis, is a representation of a flower, a lilly or iris.

Every new young Boy Scout is taught as a part of earning his first rank the greater signifigance of the fleur de lis. It is shaped like an old ornate compass needle that was used to help ancient mariners to navigate their way through the oceans seas. 

The top of the Scout emblem is a compass point that is not to lead a Scout or Scouter through the woods while hiking and backpacking. Rather the Scout insignia is to be used for Scouts and Scouters to assist in guiding them through the vast, uncertain,  and rugged  terrain of the wildernesd known as life.

The compass point of the Scouting emblem it is to help Scouts and Scouters to navigate their way through making decisions in their lives that lead them on the path to being healthy and productive members  of society. Folks who will some day find themselves at the end of that path to be seated at the final campfire and sit before the Scoutmaster of all Scouts. If they stayed the course they would be deserving of their final badge that is in likeness of the trail sign,  a circle with a dot in the center.  That  same trail sign embossed on the headstone of the founder of Scouting's final resting place means, "I have gone home".

As someone dissmissed from Scouting in an injust and sudden way, my heart weeps for the individual or few individuals who have decided my untimely and  unfair fate as a Scouter. I feel no hate or malice. Instead my heart weeps for them as it may be possible that somewhere in life they may have lost their way by misplacing their compass.

I am Mickey and these are my thoughts for the day:

It easy to find yourself lost in life. Often it is through our actions of helping, guiding and being there for others to find their way,  that we find our own. Be a mentor to others. This does not need to be a formal process and often all it takes is to lead others by the example by your own actions.

I will take my leave of you today with a couple of quotes from Robert Stephenson Symth Baden-Powell, founder of Scouting:

"The real way to happiness is to give it to others"

"In Scouting you are combatting the brooding of selfishness"

-Mickey