A very important requirement for each Scout rank is to display "Scout Spirit". The notion of having or displaying Scout Spirit has always been a bit of a quandry for me. Unlike the concrete requirements of a merit badged, required skills for ranks or any other achievements, Scout Spirit is, well...very subjective. It is not not a measurable construct or something you work up to that can be measured with some sort meter. "You almost have enough Scout Spirit, three more units left and the needle will register that you have achieved it".
Some leaders at Scoutmaster conferences and boards of review try to pigeon hole it to specifics such as; wearing a full uniform to meetings, regular attedence at meetings and events, showing up to Scout unit community service projects, and the list goes on. Still I have never read any real literature that explains it and the requirements to achieve it.
The best explainations I have ever heard were from a few wise and sage old Scout Leaders over a cup of coffee around the campfire. Scouting Spirit is striving to live up to the core values of Scouting (as recited in the Scout Oath, Law, Motto and Slogan). Doing so the individual attempts to achieve this both in and out of a uniform. It's doing the right thing even when no one is looking. It's realizing that if you have to look around to see who is looking before you do something, it may not be the right thing to do.
Often Scouting Spirit is about seeing multiple sides to an issue. It is about realizing multiple ways to deal with things and having what I have heard refferred to as a "little Boy Scout injinuity". Scouting is a program that helps create problem solvers and open minded individuals.
Part of that open mindedness is dealing with criticism both constructive or otherwise. In Scouring one learns how to utilize different perspectives or points of view to accomplish tasks. In leadership trainings I have attended, it has been encouraged that leaders listen to all points of view even if they are not popular and conflict with your own ideas and agendas. It is through listening to critism and different opinions that often produces the best results.
It is easy to only want to only hear your own opinions, plans and agendas and want to only surround yourself by those who only see things as you do. It is easy to push away anyone else who has ideas contrary to your own. The real challange is to work with folks who have different opinions.
Is Scouting not about shaping and molding individuals to be the future good citizens, workers, proffessionals and leaders? Aren't the most effective leaders those who embrace everyones opinion even when thet are not popular to their own?
It is possible that the individual(s) who dismissed me from Scouting have not yet themselves realized the full potential and benefits of the deeper meaning of Scout Spirit. I do not have ill will nor should anyone with the indivudual(s) who decided that my opinons, concerns, and views ran so contrary to their own that they felt that I should be suddenly without warning unjustly dismissed from Scouting, just to...silence me. Again feel no ill will because it is possible that they did not benifit from the sage old and wise words spoken around council fires or if they did they have simply forgotten. They may simply have lost their way from the path of Scouting Spirit.
I am Mickey and these are my thoughts for the day.
Listen to each other and embrace each others ideas even if they differ from your own. We live in a society that has become polarized by many social and political issues. Its easy to have happen as we can be influenced by the media and news affiliates and Social Media. Take the time to pick up the phone and have a real conversations. Spend time face to face talking and at least hearing each others point of view. You dont have to convert each other but at least try understand each other. Would there not be more peace in the world if we all practiced this?
Remember to do good things for others.
"May the Great Scoutmaster of all Scouts be with us all until we meet again, good day Scouts"
-Mickey
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