Truly Blessed

From me to you I would like to share a few thoughts. Many years ago my parents and I were given the choice to become involved in a program that is rich in tradition and history and marked by the character and commitment of caring individuals. Little did I know as a WEBELOS scout how much influence this program would have on my life. You see, I have been blessed to have parents who cared enough to take me to den meetings and supported my journey into adulthood. I don’t think even they realized the impact it would have on their youngest son.

Today, speaking as a parent myself, I want you to know how blessed you all are to still have this program available to your boys. I have seen the ups and downs that life throws our way on more than one occasion, but I can say that I got through the toughest of those times by relying on the values and experiences I gained as a scout. I truly do not know where I would be today had I not been prepared to go out into the world and make the best of what God gave me. Even though there were times when I felt so overwhelmed by the pressures of peers or the demands of work or service to country in the military; scouting was, as it says in scripture, “a lamp unto to my feet and a light unto my path”

And so, as the fog lifts from the dew covered grass of an early September morning, let us consider what path our boys will travel on their own journey through life. Sure, they will accumulate the memories of victory and defeat, the triumphs of accomplishment and the sheer joy of new life coming into the world, but how will they handle the worst of times and put them into perspective with the best? Will they have a trusty moral compass to guide them or will they simply be left to flounder like so many lost souls on the ocean of life? I would like to think that our sons will draw upon the wisdom of the deep and go forth confident and prepared to face whatever challenges come their way. This is why I am truly blessed; to have been a scout and to always be a scout. Amen and God Bless.

Witt