Another great letter from the fantastic Order of the Arrow website http://www.oa-bsa.org/ "I remember playing football in the fourth grade every recess. It was twenty minutes of my time during a long day of learning; but, for those glorious minutes, I was Cris Carter, John Elway, and Thurman Thomas, all in one. The games resembled nothing like a real football game, but my friends and I had fun. We all dreamed of catching the game-winning touchdown on Super Bowl Sunday that won our team the championship. During football season, I would watch every game that I could, and even go to some Arizona Cardinals games with my dad. On Monday, back at school, we would talk about the amazing plays and prepare to take the field as our favorite players, our role models. Their skills were envied by all, and we wished we could be like them. These NFL superstars did not know who I was, but I looked up to them.
As I grew older, I no longer looked to the television for my role models because I started to find them in my life. I realized that the people I held on a pedestal were no longer great football players, but people who had changed my life. I started to look up to my teachers, coaches, and parents. When the time came, the older Scouts in my troop became my role models. I had no older brother to look up to or to guide me, so I watched the older Scouts instead. Those were the guys I wished I could be like when I grew up." Click here to view the entire letter.
I think many of us have had similar experiences with Boy Scouts. In my case my Dad was in the military and was out to sea for long periods of time. He even missed my Eagle Court of Honor. But I knew he cared. He shows it in every way he could, from going on camp outs to being a Scoutmaster. He was certainly a role model for me, having attained the rank of Eagle Scout and even the Vigil Honor in Order of the Arrow. But who were my role models that filled the gaps when he was gone? They weren't sports heroes. They were the high ranking Scouts, the Life and Eagle Scouts. They were the young adult leaders, the teens. They seemed to cool! I've been fortunate to have so many adult leaders looking out for me. I'll never forget the names of the adults to guided and encouraged me to keep moving on through the ranks even when I just didn't want to do it anymore. Fred Bode, Dan Brooks, Doug Sekishiro, Anne Murphey to name a few.As I grew older, I no longer looked to the television for my role models because I started to find them in my life. I realized that the people I held on a pedestal were no longer great football players, but people who had changed my life. I started to look up to my teachers, coaches, and parents. When the time came, the older Scouts in my troop became my role models. I had no older brother to look up to or to guide me, so I watched the older Scouts instead. Those were the guys I wished I could be like when I grew up." Click here to view the entire letter.
Are you a role model? Of course you CAN be, but you probably don't realize just how many kids and maybe even adults look up to you. Cheerful service to others is a good way to start. Helping other people and maintaining a positive attitude is a formula for success at any age and in any place. Do your good turn daily.
Be the person OTHER people want to be!
See you at the top!
Sensei Brian Colwell
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