Jinxed Universe

I have been involved in scouting as a leader my whole married life. The funny thing is I don't have any sons!! So, ever since I've been in this calling I've tried my darnedest to be a good influence and hopefully inspire at least a couple of these boys into pushing themselves. Being that they are twelve to thirteen years of age, they aren't the most inspiring group you have seen. Especially when you have fifteen of them under your care. But, no matter what has gone on, I've tried to do what is best for them, even though they probably haven't seen it as such.

The whole way, I've been keeping an eye on these guys hoping that I would start to see a change, or see an impact I've made on them. I've been in my last ward for almost two years now and I've poured my heart and soul into these boys. It has been a roller coaster for me, but this last weekend I feel like I've started to hit pay dirt.

Saturday we had our fifty mile bike ride. In order to get your cycling merit badge you need seven bike rides 2 ten mile rides, 2 fifteen mile rides, 2 twenty-five mile rides and a fifty mile ride. We had rode all the rides except the fifty and I had done all these bike rides with them. It was threatening rain the whole morning, but it just remained cool and nice riding weather. Some asked the day before and asked if we were going to push it off. But, I was too determined to see this through.

We averaged 15 mph on the first leg, which was 5 mph faster than we had ever done. Then on the way back home on the second leg, I began to cramp up. I was so mad!! I last saw the boys as we got on the Legacy Trail in Woods Cross and didn't see them again. I had to stop and stretch my legs as they were on fire now. I was beginning to think I wasn't going to make it home as the pain in my knees and thighs were so much. But, as I sat there and pedaled along, I kept thinking that I needed to do this for the boys. I needed to do this for myself.

These boys had rode the whole way and I didn't hear as much as a single whine or complaint the whole way. They were doing this. They were doing a FIFTY MILE BIKE RIDE!! How many people can say they have done a fifty mile ride on a bike?!? Let alone a twelve or thirteen year old. This kept me going. I wanted to finish, I had to finish. I still had 20 miles left to go, but I took it one step at a time. When my legs got bad enough, I stopped and stretched and hopped back on. By the time I was rolling into the church, everyone had gone home and I came in, I think, about 30-45 min after everyone else did. I was beaten, and bruised, but I did it.

Then on Sunday, as I was hobbling around at Church, I heard many of the parents tell how their boys think it is so great that I would do this with them. That my scouts enjoy what we do. That right there made the last two years of being scoutmaster worth it. Those were the words I needed to hear so badly. That made my sore backside, knees and thighs all worth it. Even though, I wasn't the one pushing them to finish, but they were the ones pushing me to finish.

It is these type of activities that make these boys into men!! Physically all boys become men, but mentally not all boys become men. It is through these tough experiences that we put these boys through does the man in them begin to show through. Yes, they may be walking around with sore backsides for a day or so, but that is a badge of honor!! These things will give them the coping skills in life to push through more demanding hardships.

As many of these boys are going to be moving on and leaving my troop, I hope to continue to see the man in each one of these boys continue to surface as they get older and become men physically and mentally. I wait for the day when I can see the men they have become and be proud to call them my boys, because they will always be my scouts!!