A Life Lived in Scouting
1986: Introduction to the Mystery
After the skits, songs, and cheers, the Camp Director (bearing a white sash embroidered with a red arrow and two bars at each end) came forward. The crowd instantly grew quiet and somber. The wind rustled; the branches swayed and cracked; the lake gently lapped the shore. Sitting with my father, I watched bats flutter above two great fires. In a clear yet reverent tone, the weathered old man invoked the beauty of nature, the mystery of life, and the Great Spirit. In solemn words, he added, “Each has his own path, let the Scout Oath and Law light that path.” A quiet tenor, the Camp Director began to sing. With intimate familiarity, uniformed men, women, and boys rose adding their voices to his.
“My paddle's keen and bright
Flashing with silver
Swift as the wild goose flight
Dip, dip and swing
Dip, dip and swing her back
Flashing with silver
Follow the wild goose flight
Dip, dip and swing”
Faces stern, backs straight, heads held high, each waited; and, silence fell. Still seated by my father, I watched the fire of fellowship, bright against the water, cast long shadows across the faces of the crowd— the other stood unlit, no flame lived within it or brought warmth to the people. From the distant shore, a canoe entered the water and silently approached— the paddlers in smooth perfect unison. Mateo, messenger of the Leni-Lenape, stood erect and proud in the stern of the canoe. From a pot of flame, Mateo reached and drew a single arrow. Putting notch to string, Mateo released the arrow and smote the lifeless fire. Flame rose from its depths and the voice of Chief Allowat Sakima boomed across the water, across the fire circle, and echoed forth. “I am ...
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... the last song of the final campfire and invokes the memory of all that have come before in Scouting. It is, to Scouts, a sacred song. The light dimmed still further and as we reached the top of the stairs. We stood together, finished humming, and walked down to the car. We shared our final night of Summer Camp together— two weeks later I went off to Basic and my father died in August of 2000. July 2004 will be my first Summer Camp in six years.
“Scouting may be indefinable but it is palpable; and, it moves men and boys to become better human beings through their journey together.”
First Verse of Scout Vespers
Softly falls the light of day,
While our campfire fades away.
Silently each Scout should ask
Have I done my daily task?
Have I kept my honor bright?
Can I guiltless sleep tonight?
Have I done and have I dared
Everything to be prepared?
A distinct conscience is formed by the values and desires of one’s unique identity. However, common beliefs of societal standards can influence conscientious desires. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee introduces a young girl named Scout, who learns about the difference between social conformity and human conscience. Through this, she notices the conflict it brings: choosing to conform or stand with your desire. Through Maycomb’s discriminatory principles, Atticus’ actions against common beliefs, and Scout’s comprehension of Boo, Lee reveals how society’s standards and conformity hinders personal desires for righteousness.
As tribune Minucius Rufus proposed to repeal one of Gaius’ bills, he gathered support. In a minor disturbance, a servant of consul Opimius was killed. The senate was forced to pass a resolution that consuls should see to it that the Republic came to no harm. Opimius summoned to arms senators and equites against Gaius and Flaccus who had occupied the Aventine hill. After failed negotiations they and their supporters were defeated and killed. It is said that the weight of their heads in gold was to be awarded to the man who brought Opimius the heads of Gaius and Flaccus. Once again political differences in Rome resulted in bloodshed and brought an end to the remaining Gracchi.
Congratulations, you want to become one person out of the five percent of all Boy Scouts who will become Eagle Scouts. It is a great honor, and you should try to succeed in your goal. However, becoming a true Eagle Scout is not just done by completing the requirements and finishing a project; you also have to display all of the qualities that a true Eagle Scout should exemplify. You have to be able to earn that honor, and through this essay you will learn about all it takes to be an Eagle Scout including the book requirements, the merit badges, the project, the scoutmaster conference and board of review, and lastly the qualities that an Eagle Scout must show. You will also learn that even after your scouting experience is completed, you still will need to demonstrate all of these qualities because you will be held at a higher standard than most.
The New York Times Bestseller We Were Soldiers Once... And Young was authored by Lt. General Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway. In November 1965, Lt. Colonel Harold Moore commanded the 1st Battalion, 7th cavalry at the Ia Drang Valley-one of the bloodiest battles of Vietnam. He eventually retired from the Army in 1977 after thirty-two years of service. After his military career, Lieutenant General Moore resided as executive vice president for four years at a Colorado ski resort before founding a computer software company. Harold Moore currently lives in Auburn, Alabama and Crested Butte, Colorado.
As a child grows, many people influence their development as a person. Some people impact more than others, and a select few really leave their mark. In Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” several characters play this role. Among them, Miss Maudie Atkinson, a woman who proves herself a strong character, prevails as the one who has the greatest impact on Scout Finch, the protagonist of this novel. As Scout matures and grows up, her views on the world around her change. Through subtle yet effective ways, Miss Maudie teaches Scout many life lessons about being humble, judging, and attitude, all of which ultimately have a great effect on the kind of person Scout develops into and her outlook on the world.
It was now monday morning and camp had officially started. All the troops meet at the Flag Poles at the middle of camp, for announcements. We had around 15 boys in our troop, which was very small compared to the other troops who had around 75 to 1...
Baase, S. (2013) A Gift of Fire. 4th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Every 60 seconds an animal is abused. Dogs, cats, horses, and many other types of animals are being neglected and tortured everyday, yet resulting in few and minor consequences for the perpetrators. Animal abuse is prevalent in the United States and has been an ongoing issue since the 1970's, and prior to. Society as a whole has chosen to avoid the facts and arguments about animal cruelty, because to some it is seen as acceptable and typical. It becomes much more frowned upon when people actually see the results of the cruelty, especially in the media.
When I was seventeen I nervously traveled about 350 miles from my sleepy little home town of Freedom, Wyoming to the relatively enormous city of Boise, Idaho to go to the Military Entrance Processing Station. This wasn 't the first time I had been this far from home by myself, but it was the first time I was making adult decisions without my parents involvement. When it came time for me to choose my job in the army the counselors presented me with a long list that I qualified for. I got tired of scrolling and reading so I chose the first job that I actually understood. I returned home and excitedly told my parents that I would be an infantry soldier. My dad 's response to this might be considered a little less than heart warming “You dumb ass. Why didn 't you choose
I would like to start by saying: there are no more important people in this room than the two young men we honor here. If there were a Congressman, a United States senator, a governor, or even a chief executive officer of a FORTUNE 500 company here today, there would be no one in the room more important than our new Eagle Scouts. They are among the most important people in America.
In dealing with most complex problems in today’s work environment, there may be more than one good answer to a problem. The question then becomes one of picking the best answer; this is called decision-making. Weighing the consequences of th...
Effective advertisements are advertisements that help the advertiser to reach its goals (Doyle& Saunders, 1990).
Animal abuse is a travesty in our world that must be stopped. Every year, millions of animals suffer because of human actions, directly or indirectly. Whether it’s abused dogs and cats or even mistreated circus animals, their suffering is as real as it would be if it happened to us. Even animals who are raised on farms simply for human consumption should not have to suffer. One of the worst parts of humanity’s role in animal abuse is that there are easy ways for people to help that they are either ignorant of or simply refuse to do. There are many examples of animals who are abused by humans, but there are also ways for people to help prevent and put an end to animal abuse.
Each year, the most extreme cases of animal abuse receive media attention. Yet, the animal cruelty problem is more widespread than is reported in the media. Animal abuse and neglect is a nationwide issue, affecting thousands of animals nationwide. Cruelty to animals is defined as the infliction of physical pain, suffering or death on an animal, beyond what is necessary. There is a need to stop abusers from acting in such a horrific manner–preventing the neglect and suffering of the animals. What causes animal abusers to act in such a cruel way towards animals? How are cases of animal abuse being managed, and how should cases be handled? Finally, does the status of animals in society contribute to the rate of their abuse? This paper seeks to answer these questions and give possible solutions to end the malicious practice of animal abuse.
Decision making is one of the most important aspects in life and work because of its strong link to success and effectiveness. Actually, successful people achieve their goals in life and work through effective and efficient decision making. The decision making process is usually guided by an individual’s beliefs, values, and attitudes as well concepts. While a person can use various concepts in making decisions, they should be very careful to select a concept that is effective and contributes to huge success. Nonetheless, these concepts exist to help an individual become a better decision maker in the world around him/her.