Scout’s honor

Last night I spoke to a group of Boy Scouts that meets out at Paul Smith’s College.

The young men of Troop 12 were holding their awards ceremony, handing out badges, remembering their accomplishments of the last half-year.

It was pretty cool.

Here’s a confession: I was a lousy Scout. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. My group’s scout leader deserved more than a merit badge.

A Nobel peace prize maybe?

More recently, I’ve been uncomfortable with the Scouts’ policy of rejecting leaders and kicking out boys who are gay.

Last night, though, all that baggage fell away as I watched these guys talk about their sense of mission and their responsibilities to their community.

Helping a family that had lost its home in a fire; cleaning up a section of highway; gathering food for local pantries.

And then getting outdoors to ski and snowshoe and winter camp.

It doesn’t get much better than that.

In an era when boys and their families are challenged by everything from high divorce rates to videogame drivel, a lot of young guys need all the help they can get.

How long’s it been since you’ve recited the Boy Scout Oath? (I know for me it had been thirty years at least.)

On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.