A Twinkle in the Eye

Not long ago I met a kindly older gentleman at a scouting event. I first saw him seated at a picnic table some twenty yards away outside the dining hall at Camp Lakota in Defiance, Ohio. He was dressed in a red scout jacket and green scout uniform pants. I don’t know what possessed me at that moment, but something inside prompted me to go over to him and to simply say “hello.” As I introduced myself and shook the man’s hand, a conversation just naturally began between us.

In the space of about five minutes I came to know that this gentleman had been involved in Boy Scouting for sixty four years and that he had helped build the dining hall in which we stood facing. It had been constructed many years earlier and you could tell by the style and color of the dark brown log walls that it had seen many summer campers beneath its rustic roof. I could not stay long and talk, but I knew as he talked that the years had fallen away in the recesses of his mind and a twinkle appeared in his eyes. I’d swear he had shed about forty years and a much younger man stood before me reliving some of the most treasured moments of his life. I thought to myself, “what a blessing to be here today.” Later on I came to find out four generations of scouts in this man’s family, both boy and girl had assembled there to celebrate a special occasion. It really does not matter what the occasion was; what struck me most was that good things do stand the test of time.

Tonight, I sit here reflecting on the things in life that matter most to me and I realize that there is little difference between us; that older gentleman and myself. We have lived a little, learned a great many things and have had the opportunity to pass on those important lessons that life teaches. Being honest, working hard, having faith and being helpful are just a few, but I think living the “Golden Rule” is probably what sums it all up. Bringing a little happiness into the world with a smile and kind word can make even the most experienced set of eyes twinkle with delight. It is a light we all have inside and it shines its most brilliant when we simply pass it on. Good night and God bless.