This post was posted on my Facebook wall on Feburary 15th, 2019. My four year run as Cubmaster for my son's Pack was coming to an end and I was unpacking my thoughts on the next steps and I was pondering the "what if" scenarios. Saved here for posterity.
Scout
Musings: Most may know that my youngest son, a Webelos scout, will be
joining his brother at Troop 1238 next month and later this year I will
taking the Scoutmaster position. Last year, there was a possibility
that my youngest would have ended up with Troop 919 and their
Scoutmaster position was floated my way. Troop 919 was my troop as a
Scout and their would have been a certain poetry to me returning, with
my son, to my old Troop. The possibility of me helping guide Troop 919
was intriguing to me. And I would have certainly loved to stay in the
919 ecosystem and help form a much stronger partnership with Pack 919.
In the end, we left the choice to my youngest, as it should be, and he
wanted to be with his brother at Troop 1238.
But why didn't my
oldest end up with Troop 919 four years ago? For a time, we expected my
oldest would end up with Troop 919, as that was the partner Troop with
our Pack. It seemed obvious. When my oldest was ready to move into the
Boy Scouts, Troop 919 was not in a good place and their Scoutmaster was
not one I wanted my son to be with. At that time, the Scoutmaster's
son was approaching Eagle and he wasn't likely to be Scoutmaster for
more then a year. Their committee floated the Scoutmaster position to
me, after the current Scoutmaster moved on. Still, I didn't want my son
with him, even for a short time. Troop 438 was our next go to option
for him, until we meet Dennis Kim from Troop 1238 and he made his pitch.
It was obvious that Troop 1238 had it together, they meet on a night
good for our family schedule and they meet close to our home. My oldest
went to Troop 1238 without regret, my youngest continued with Pack 919
and less then a year later I was the Cubmaster of Pack 919. Ironically,
about the same time I became Cubmaster, the Scoutmaster of Troop 919
was removed from his position by the charter organization. Troop 919
had a rough few years after that and they almost closed down.
For me, I can't help but think of the what ifs. Had my oldest ended up
with Troop 919, I would have ended up as their Scoutmaster and not
Cubmaster for Pack 919. How would have the last four years have been
different for the Pack? My son's going to my Troop as a youth and me
being their Scoutmaster would have been and interesting story, but it
was not to be.
But one can not predict the surprise turns that
will happen in life. Troop 1238 was a breath of fresh air for us when
we meet them. They were a new Troop and their Scoutmaster at the time,
Kraig Loomis remains one of the finest Scoutmaster's I have meet. The
Scouts at 1238 are an eager bunch and their are so many great families
there. My oldest recently was elected the Senior Patrol Leader and in a
few short weeks my youngest will joining him, along with many of his
friends from Pack 919. I am eager and nervous to be taking on the
Scoutmaster role a bit later. It will be quite an adventure I think.
And to top it all off, after nine years,
Donna and I will get our Friday nights backs.
