...and my duty is to love.
Those are the words that brought me silently and gratefully to tears tonight as I sat at the glowing fire under the moonlight with a girl (scout) and her guitar.
I was a Girl Scout for many years. Once my daughter was born, I couldn't wait until she was old enough to be a Scout herself and I'd hoped I'd be able to be her leader. It's been my honor to be not only her leader, but the leader of many other girls. They've grown stronger, bigger, become more confident, learned to try new things and learned that they just might like some of the new things they've tried. I've seen them all become comfortable what one another to share, speak, or not choose to even though everyone else did. They are in a judgment-free zone when we're together as scouts. I am honored to have touched their lives and am grateful to their parents for sharing their girls with me in this way.
The reason I was under the moonlight last night (I started this post as I sat last night in the moonlight) was because I co-chaired a regional enrichment weekend for leaders. My co-chair is a fairly new friend of mine, made through....scouting, of course! It was a ton of work and while working with many committee members with varying opinions, ideas and personalities was no easy task, all the work paid off for me last night. I was able to look up at the stars and recall my own memories with a woman who was my leader for most of my scouting years. She also attended the weekend event...talk about full circle! I was reminded what a huge impact scouting had on my life and how lucky I am to have a place to go where we all accept one another, even now, as adults from varying backgrounds and experiences. I also was reminded that there will be a girl (or hopefully, hundreds) who will one day sit at a campfire singing songs, recalling her own leader, perhaps one who was with us this weekend, and the opportunities she had. She will look back at her friends, experiences and life, knowing that she belongs somewhere always and that her life was touched and the cycle will continue.
I am completely exhausted, but refreshed and renewed in the knowledge that our time together this weekend is more far-reaching than we'll ever know.
~A circle is round, it has no end; that's how long I wish to be your friend.~
