Golden Words

 If you grew up in the 1980s, you may identify the phrase "Don't let it end" as a Styx song, on the "Kilroy was Here" album. Sixth Session is nearly over. This year, for me, has gone incredibly fast.  I can't believe we are nearly done. I wanted to wax phil -osophic on leadership. It is one of the most important aspects of Scouting, and yes, the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. We expect it from scouts who are considered for membership in the Tribe, as well as those advancing in the system. Most importantly, we expect it from those that shape the present and future of the program. So is "leadership" a one size fits all concept? It is not, though some or even many may think so. Too often it is thought that by bringing people up along the same path, that the outcome is likely to be a similar style, if not a carbon copy of what has gone before.  What about the leader that is the square peg? Do you go ahead and grab a bigger hammer, to force it into the round hole?...

 How many times have you heard that phrase: "Failure is not an option."? Of course, on its face that phrase is ridiculous. Failure is always an option, whether due to overwhelming force against your act, or you refusing to try because of the fear of failure. Frequently, that fear is the self fulfilling outcome, not failure from lack of trying. This is a sensitive subject for me. We know that many are their own worst critics, and many others should be. No one, I think is harsher on themselves than I am to me. It is likely that it is omnipresent in my writing, and in the podcasts. That I am writing, is one way for me to deal with that, as I can wordsmith to my heart's content. But ultimately, I have to publish, and so I only take that so far. President Thomas S. Monson, at the time 1st Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, spoke of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.  No, I am not going down the religion hole, but Preside...

 With the Fourth of July approaching, it is time to reflect on events surrounding that fateful day in July of 1776. Equally, we must reflect on one of the most sacred obligations of the Scout Oath, Duty to Country. While other nations prior to the founding of the United States of America had embraced various forms of democracy, it is important to remember that what was started on that fateful day had never been tried before. The ideal that we are each endowed with inalienable rights, seems so common sensical now, but in those days, your rights only extended as far as the King's pleasure. In other blogs I have written on true rights, rights that are independent of the action of others, except for protection of same. I won't rehash that here, suffice to say that the right to life is a right, the right to demand a health care provider provide a service is not, without just compensation, that is. Here I want to talk about the freedoms that we as Americans, and even many throughout ...