militarymoms

For several reasons, I dragged my daughter to the Girl Scout shop in Indianapolis last week.  It’s tradition, for one thing.  We were visiting dear friends in Indiana, and we usually do a Scout Shop run some time during our visit.  My friend Michelle did the whole Girl Scout thing, from Brownies to Gold Award.  My scouting career was more sporadic (okay, no one wanted to lead our rowdy troop after fifth grade), but I never forgot the fun of earning badges, camping and learning to roller skate in Girl Scout uniforms.  I really believe in Scouting, for boys and girls, because it teaches valuable life skills.

One thing I learned during this visit to the Girl Scout shop was dismaying - Girl Scouts is revamping its program, again, and no one really knows how things will end up.  Program materials are being released a little at a time.  It’s frustrating, especially when I’m going through leader training and can see that I’ll be leading Cadettes during a very, well, unstructured time.

But, in the end, I think things will work out.  Moms like me, who remember all the old Girl Scout songs and stories and traditions, will work with girls who know all about GPS units and texting but can’t start a fire, and we’ll all learn something.  We’ll connect over marshmallows and service projects and questions and badges.  We’ll forge new friendships, welcome newcomers to our troops, and renew old bonds of sisterhood.

My friend Michelle lives 600 miles away.  We met in Italy, 20+ years ago, in an on-base drama group, and one of the things we discovered we had in common was Scouting.  We both value Girl Scouting’s traditions and emphasis on important life skills.  We each grew in self-confidence through Scouting.  We didn’t know each other then, but as adults we can appreciate and learn from our Scouting experiences.  Best of all, it’s great fun to share our stories with my daughter, and to hear her own tales of campouts and hikes and ceremonies.

An old Girl Scout song begins, “Make new friends, but keep the old.  One is silver and the other is gold.”  I think this song perfectly expresses how I feel not only about Scouting but about military life (and remember, Lord Baden-Powell created Boy Scouting to prepare young men for military service).  Michelle and I will be friends forever, no matter where the Navy sends my family.  I appreciate tradition and long-established friendships, but I’m also ready to go somewhere new and meet more people.  In the end, it’s all valuable, worth saving and honoring and pondering in my heart.

And, when people ask you why so many military kids are involved in Scouting, you’ll know exactly what to say.  New friends, old friends, tradition and challenge - that’s military life - and it’s Scouting life, too.

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