Good evening everybody! I’m writing this during Winter Break. It’s been a nice and relaxing one to say the least, but now it’s time for me to sit down and write something for you to read!
When I was younger, I did something that most young boys do: participate in Scouting. I never made it to Eagle (Life for life!), but even still many of my fondest childhood memories came during my time with Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. I made pinewood derby cars (won a couple of years even!), went to summer camp, and went on many trips to various parks. My favorite trips were Hershey Park (we did stay in tents!) and white water rafting on the New and Gauley Rivers in West Virginia. The times were fun, the people were great, and the lessons were ones to live by.
Prior to every meeting, the Boy Scouts recite our Oath and Law. At first, a young Boy Scout will see reciting these as a repetitive and menial task. However, with time, these two verbatims have resonated more and more in my soul. The Oath reads, “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.” The Law reads, “A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.” To this day I, and many other Scouts who I have met through Kappa Kappa Psi, could easily and quickly recite either if prompted.
In those words following “obey the Scout Law”, the Oath lays the groundwork of not only how a Scout but any person should conduct themself: help others whenever possible and be in good shape physically, mentally, and morally. One could simplify the last part even further: be the best you that you can be.
That being said, I personally always felt the Oath never had as much residence in me as the Law did. The Oath even references the Law, clearly indicating its importance to all Boy Scouts. The Oath lays the groundwork, telling Scouts to be the best version of themselves, but the Law gives specific qualities that move a person to becoming that. It never says for you to be smart, it says to be thrifty. It never says for you to be muscular, it says to be clean. The most important thing that it says for you to be is a friend; the first eight traits all speak of amiable characteristics. Although much of the Law deals ways to improve oneself from within the person, the majority of the Oath deals with ways to improve oneself with your fellow man.
One can see many similarities between the Boy Scouts’ Oath and Law, and Kappa Kappa Psi’s Purposes and Creed and Tau Beta Sigma’s Purposes and Ideals. Although some may view any of these three groupings to work as substitutes for the others, I view them as complements to the others. The lessons and guidance found within the Boy Scouts’ Oath and Law can be useful, empowering, and inspiring regardless of one’s gender. I encourage everyone to read these three organizations’ guiding statements and to think critically about the wisdom found within.
Ryan Largent
Kappa Kappa Psi
Gamma Xi
Northeast District President 2012-2013
