WOMEN MAKE MEN
Take away my den mothers and my mother – and I am no Eagle Scout. Sure the men tear rotator cuffs patting themselves on the back for “making a man out of that boy”, but the truth is they were somewhat reluctantly loaned that boy from mama. Mama’s boys become leaders and then stick by their mother until her last day on earth. Today I came upon a poem that reminded me of where I came from, and what ideals I am challenged to live up to. For example The BSA invented “being green” in 1954 calling it “The Outdoor Code”. How much better would I, and our country be, if we were to practice what the Boy Scouts of America taught us?
The Boy Scout’s Mother Asked
by F. Darnall Daley
“Where has my little baby gone?”
The Cub Scout’s Mother asked,
“He went by here awhile ago.
Did you not see him pass?”
He’d gone to be a Tiger Cub
And then a Wolf was he.
He learned to carve the pinewood car,
And sing the songs with glee.
And after that he was a Bear,
And then a Webelos Scout.
He learned the Boy Scout Oath and Law,
And fun in full amount.
Crossed over to be a Boy Scout,
And shown what kindness meant.
His best is what he’d have to be,
Everywhere he went.
“Where has my baby boy gone?”
The Boy Scout’s Mother asked,
“He went by here awhile ago.
Did you not see him pass?”
To hike the trails and pitch a tent,
To swim the lakes and streams,
To kindle a fire under the stars,
These were his every day dreams.
Down the long trail to Eagle,
He smilingly went his way.
The many adventures that he had,
Shaped the man we see today.
Learned to be a citizen,
A helping hand to lend.
He learned what cheerful service means,
And how to be a friend.
“Where has my baby boy gone?”
The Boy Scout’s Mother asked,
“He went to be a Boy Scout,
And he grew to be a man.”
SCOUT OATH:
On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.
SCOUT MOTTO:
Be Prepared!
SCOUT SLOGAN:
Do a Good Turn Daily!
THE OUTDOOR CODE:
As an American, I will do my best to –
Be clean in my outdoor manners.
Be careful with fire.
Be considerate in the outdoors.
Be conservation minded.
(The BSA first publicized the Outdoor Code in the March 1954 edition of Boys’ Life magazine.)
SCOUT LAW-
A Scout is:
Trustworthy,
Loyal,
Helpful,
Friendly,
Courteous,
Kind,
Obedient,
Cheerful,
Thrifty,
Brave,
Clean,
and Reverent.
Looking back it was brutal…to my tendency to waste time, experiment with drugs, chase girls, watch TV, and generally take laziness to the next level. The Mile Swim in a cold lake at 7am for my swimming merit badge? It made Camp Granada sound like Disney World! Yet for most hard work, there is hard core payoff.
Other than I suppose I learned A LOT along the way, there were two MAJOR benefits I shall always be grateful for. 1) The look of pride and pure joy on my mother’s face when she pinned that Eagle on me at the big ceremony. I shall never forget that image – it’s seared onto my brain, even though I have a picture to prove it. 2) The look on the face of my first five employers when they discovered I was an Eagle Scout. They couldn’t hire me fast enough! Not even a Harvard MBA can brand you an “Honest finisher” like that badge. I tackle every scout I see selling something and foam at the mouth as I tell them “GET your Eagle, kid.”
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