Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Brotherhood, cheerfulness, service


Robert has been selected to join the Order of the Arrow.
The OA is the Boy Scouts' National Honor Society, sort of a group-within-a-group. About 12 percent of Scouts are elected to the Order.
Election to the society is by Scouts overall -- so it is a group whose members are selected by non-members.


The Order of the Arrow has a long and storied history within the Scouting movement. It also features some of the most impressive and meaningful ceremonies in Scouting. The callout ceremony, which is something many Scouts witness at summer camp or elsewhere, is spine-tingling. I'm not letting out any secrets by saying the ceremonies that follow, which are for members only, are even more impressive.
Robert will join his oldest brother, his mother, who was nominated as an adult leader, and me as members of the Order, should he accomplish the Ordeal. Members are not at liberty to divulge all the details of this experience.
But I fully expect him to join us in the Brotherhood of Cheerful Service, WWW.

No comments: