A Mason's Work

[00:00] So to wrap up this week on the guide process, if you do get to see me out in Lodge Functions, you'll probably see me sitting as a guide somewhere.
[00:13] I love the process.
[00:15] I love helping to cultivate and craft that experience for the man that helps them grab on and get involved and get engaged.
[00:26] And one of the things that I really enjoy about that is unlocking or finding the things that make that man come alive in those experiences.
[00:39] I can relay a guide experience that I had fairly early on in my Masonic career.
[00:46] And it was, um, I was able to mentor and help a brother, um, through education and, uh, through mentoring and practice, uh, memorize a, uh, the opening charge of, of the lodge.
[01:02] And, uh, when he went to deliver it in front of the room for the very first time, I was more nervous than he was.
[01:13] When he went to, when he delivered the opening charge at the end, uh, you know, it's not custom in our jurisdiction to clap for those things.
[01:22] Man, I felt like I had just won the Superbowl when he was able to execute that opening charge and, uh, and, and go sit down with the comfort and confidence that he was able to rise to that occasion.
[01:37] Uh, it was so rewarding for me that I wanted to stand up and start cheering.
[01:42] The guide experience is, um, is one of the more enriching ones that I've had in lodge.
[01:50] I've had people tried to guide me, uh, exceedingly well.
[01:55] Um, and I've had folks, you know, try to tell me what to do, which is quite a bit different, uh, than being guided.
[02:04] When, when I had, um, you know, in my first, my first degree, when I went in, uh, to the craft,
[02:10] um, I had, uh, recently rolled an ATV on my foot.
[02:18] Uh, and in that process rolled an ATV, I forget exactly what happened, but for what it was worth, my, my leg was one of those boots, those, uh, those air castings.
[02:27] Um, and so I was, uh, walking around the lodge and a guy was guiding me.
[02:33] Uh, and of course I couldn't see anything and I've got this big janky boot on my foot.
[02:40] Well, the guy who was guiding me was also, you know, older, let's say.
[02:46] Um, and so here he is, I've been, I have this described from the third party, uh, telling me what happened.
[02:53] Uh, you know, a couple of months later, he's like, you know, this guy who was trying to guide you couldn't deal with the fact that you really couldn't walk well.
[03:00] So there was this weird cadence issue where I was walking around like a Frankenstein and he was trying not to trip every time I went forward or backward.
[03:09] The guide process is like super connected.
[03:12] It is, um, uh, a relationship that, uh, really has the potential to stand a test of time.
[03:19] And I want to take just a moment in this episode, uh, and thank some of the people that have guided me along the way.
[03:26] Uh, including, uh, Wynton Hewitt, past master 33rd, Len Bazar, past master 33rd.
[03:31] Um, uh, as the guys in my lodge that helped raise me and confer degrees.
[03:37] And, uh, there's, there's tons and tons of guys that have been a part of that.
[03:41] And I don't mean to diminish any of them by not mentioning them by name.
[03:45] Uh, but there's also people that have guided me outside of a watch.
[03:50] It's the nurturing and, uh, you know, encouragement that comes from, uh, people saying, Hey, listen, you're on, you're on a path that, that seems right for you.
[03:59] You're on a path where you can deliver, uh, to that, uh, to your sort of best capacities.
[04:04] And I want to thank the folks from the Masonic light podcast, uh, you know, Jack and Tim and, and the folks there, uh, Jacob and everybody else that helped, um, make that sort of first step into what I'm doing.
[04:20] Um, uh, providing that nurturing and encouragement to get here.
[04:25] And of course, brother Arce, who, uh, you will see coming up in a couple of days, um, on a podcast or video episode that we've done on the YouTube channel.
[04:35] And then everyone that's supported me as well, uh, on Patreon and, uh, who've, you know, taken the time and helped, um, you know, you know, who you are, uh, Jorge and, uh, Andy.
[04:50] And, you know, all the folks that have been, been supportive and nurturing in my quest to become the best Mason I can be and bring my knowledge, training skills, and experience to the brethren to help them grow.
[05:03] So, you, you, you probably haven't thought about it for your own personal experience, but if you sit back and reflect right now, you know, the guys that helped you along your way, I would take a moment.
[05:19] Uh, I would recommend you take a moment and express your gratitude to those brethren.
[05:23] Um, because you don't know, you really don't know if they know how much they helped you along the way.
[05:31] So I want to take just a moment and say, thank you.
[05:35] See you next week.