Parkhurst: Look to Scouts, not groundhogs, to lead

February is Boy Scout Month, and the organization is beginning its second century of guiding youth through the difficult times of adolescence to adulthood.

There are many things that have kept Scouting going so successfully over these many years. One of these things is the Scout slogan: “Do a good turn daily.” The following is copied from the 12th edition of the Boy Scout Handbook: “That means doing something to help others each day without expecting anything in return. It means doing your part to care for your community and the environment too. Some Good Turns are big — service after floods or other disasters, rescuing someone from a dangerous situation, recycling community trash, or completing conservation projects with your patrol.

“Good Turns also can be small, thoughtful acts — helping a child cross a busy street, going to the store for an elderly neighbor, cutting back weeds blocking a sign or doing something special for a brother or sister.”

The Boy Scouts of America were brought to the United States by just such a random act of kindness that has been a keystone in its foundation ever since.

Another factor contributing to this longevity is the freedom of its members from ethnic, cultural and religious beliefs and backgrounds. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in this country, where we have such a rich mixture of people from all over the world.

Once a boy puts on the Scout uniform, he becomes one of a common group, with no distinction from others, no matter what their social status. This makes the Scout uniform unique among most uniforms in the world.

In the military, for instance, the uniform is used to distinguish between one’s own forces and the enemy. In Scouting we are all the same — all bent on carrying out the same slogan: “Do a good turn daily.”

Have you ever noticed a group of preschoolers playing in a public park? To them there is no separation because of color of skin or other features that may indicate cultural differences — they all laugh and play the same. Prejudice is a learned trait; it does not come naturally.

At World Jamborees it has never ceased to amaze me how these principles have carried Scouts into young adulthood. Even though their home countries may be on the verge of war, these Scouts shared a common bond of doing good and respecting each other.

However, the Scout slogan is not just for Scouts. We, too, can carry out this practice. But first we must train ourselves if we are to become proficient at it. There have been several notes of gratitude lately in the news of people who have been helped by complete strangers.

It makes us feel good to have helped someone who needs it. However, there are rules of engagement: Always ask, and don’t approach a person in a threatening manner.

I saw a woman trying to load her groceries into her trunk and was having trouble lifting some articles out of the basket as it kept rolling away. I approached her in full view and asked: “Why don’t you take your purse and get into your car and I will unload your groceries for you?”

She smiled and complied and said, “Thank you, I would appreciate that.”

Several things happened here. I approached her in full view; I didn’t surprise her by approaching from behind. She probably would have taken her purse anyway, but by me asking her to take it and get into her car where she would feel safe, I assured her that my intentions were genuine.

After the groceries were unloaded, I pushed the cart back in full view of her so she could see that all of her goods had been unloaded into her trunk — the whole unsolicited act made me feel good all the way home.

I’m not telling you this story to bolster any white knight theory, for there have been many times that I did not act when there was the opportunity and I did not see it till it had passed. But think about this: If everyone in Sedalia (or wherever you are) did just one good turn every day, what a wonderful place it would be.

Fortunately, we don’t depend on some superstitions about a groundhog seeing his shadow to predict the moral character of our youth — we have the Boy Scouts to lead the way.

Sunday is Scout Sunday — see you at worship.