Always Hope

[Narraticong]

A topic in another section dealt with a young man approaching his Eagle BOR, but concerned with his drug related felony. From his postings it seemed he was sorry for his deeds. But research by some among us showed that was perhaps not the case.

 

Like many others who wear the Eagle, my first thought was that he did not deserve to be one of us. But then I considered my own failings. Alcohol, partying, many times I broke my oath as a young adult. Luckily, I never acquired a police record, although I probably deserved it.

 

By the time I turned 30, I straightened up, married, and became a boring suburban Dad. One beer a month, church every Sunday, Scoutmaster, the whole bit. But do I deserve to wear the red, white and blue knot? I have not always lived up to the obligation that comes with the Eagle Charge.

 

Yes, for the past 20 years I have been straight as an arrow. But my past reminds me that there is always hope and that we should not give up on anyone. If God does not quit on us, why should we quit on each other?

 

As Scout leaders, we need to really get to know our boys. There should be signs that a boy is heading in the wrong direction. We need to have the love and strength to take action rather than turn our head and pretend it isn't happening.

 

"I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see"- those words ring very true in my life.

 

 

[MissingArrow]

You are right there is always hope, and we as adults can not forget it!

 

I get very frustrated with some of the Scouters that just want to throw away the kids who struggle. They are kids, they are supposed to make mistakes. This is the time of their lives that they need to learn from their mistakes to help build character and develop into productive law abiding adults. That is why the Juvenile Justice System is set up the way it is. The kids who experiement or get into a bit of trouble need Scouting the most and we should not turn them away.

 

On the civilian side my schooling is in Social Work and I have worked as a Juvenile Probation Officer. Some of the kids I worked with who were found to be delinquent would have made better Eagle Scouts than some I worked with when I was on camp staff. You can't judge kids by their past actions or current activities.

 

I have seen kids that I thought were always going to be users, dealers, and gang bangers turn things around and become awesome kids and great young adults. Its easy to turn your back and say you are always going to be a dealer, you are just going to end up in the County Jail or in Prison. It takes dedication and determination to work with them and help them find themselves and turn things around. We as adults dedicated to the kids we work with should not turn our backs.

 

Don't give up and remember why you are involved in Scouting!

(well if it is for the right reasons.)

 

Dan

 

 

 

 

[croushorn]

Narra sounds like my path parallels yours; But for me it was after Scouting and I was Uncle Sams problem. I am however, proud to say I never did drugs. And I didnt do it during adolescence. Nor did I turn around to ask for half-hearted forgiveness to receive a prestigious award only a select few ever earn while hiding what I was still doing on the side.

Not that it necessarily makes what you or I did any better, but I properly earned Eagle as Im sure you did. At least both of us have returned to our foundations after we sowed our wild oats. That is a burden I accept as a Scouter and father now, keeping boys active and involved as long as possible so that awards earned and principles learned early arent forgotten a year later. I hope he can say the same when he's our age.(This message has been edited by ursus snorous roarus)

[scoutldr]

One of the sermons I remember from my Lutheran Pastor was one on repentance. We are all sinners. We make mistakes. The Lutheran faith encourages public confession and repentance in order to be granted forgiveness. It's not enough to confess and say you're sorry. True repentance means that you confess, apologize and don't do it again. In my opinion, the same should be the standard for Eagle Scout. We should expect scouts to make mistakes, but then to own up to them and make it right, as Beavah proposed. We should also expect that the scout then shun the illegal/immoral/offending behavior and not continue it in his "non-Scouting" life, hoping the EBOR members didn't find out. The scout did not apologize to those he had harmed, nor did he turn away from the offending behavior as evidenced by his on-line presence. He underestimated us old geezers, or was just plain stupid. "On My Honor, I will Do My Best"...those are powerful words, and the scout still wasn't exhibiting that, in my opinion.