Not In The Newsletter

It is that time of year again when we take a few minutes over the summer and let the brethren know about what we have planned for the rest of the year. It is a very similar process to the monthly notice but in an unofficial format and capacity. This is the time when we have a little bit more leeway with what we include. The lodge is closed, most of us are on vacation, and communications are in the form of t-shirt and shorts rather than a tux.

When pulling this mailer together I am always surprised by both all that we have accomplished so far this year and the variety of events and activities that await us when we turn the lights back on at the lodge. It never really seems like that much when you take it month by month but when you step back it all adds up to quite the full year. And, of course, at this point it doesn’t include the things that come up right before and during the meetings… there is always and extra event or five that I hear about during that first week of the month.

However, unlike last year, I am looking back at the year so far and I am surprised by the number of events of which I was unable to participate. There have been a lot of changes at the lodge and a tremendous amount of changes in the lives of many of the brethren (including myself). I guess you could say that many of us have a completely different perspective this summer when we look back at the first half of the year and we make plans for the second half. We all have new commitments and responsibilities that impact (and in many cases enhance) our masonic experience.

Along those lines, this summer project also serves as a personal reminder of what I need to get done over the next several months (all the things that aren’t listed in the newsletter). There are so many small and large things alike with some having become a bit more complicated than they used to be. And, just as there are a variety of events that are brought to our attention each month, there are also a lot of projects that I know will be crossing my desk. Some I have a good idea what they will entail while others are definitely going to be a surprise.

Those are the things that are not found in the newsletter but are what will require my time and attention. It is something that I can’t really prepare for but I can be ready for the shift in my priority list. Those projects that fill in the limited spare time I have after family and work… another portion to be measured out in my day.