It
was rather uneventful when the new Masonic year started on Sunday. The long
weekend was coming to an end when I received a rather exuberant text message
from the outgoing Worshipful Master. It was at that moment when it really
became clear to me the nature of my office. When I took the oath and stepped in
as Secretary in 2013 I did so not to simply serve a year and move on. I made
the commitment to myself as well as other brothers in the lodge that I was
going to serve the lodge for the foreseeable future with six years being my
goal.
When
I made that commitment I knew that I would see officers move through the chairs
and Worshipful Masters come and go. I wanted to be the constant that the
brothers could count on being at my desk in the east year after year. And while
I didn’t fully understand what I was getting myself into when I agreed to take
the office, I have come to appreciate both the rewarding and challenging aspects
of the job.
And
that is what this office really is… a job. I work month after month not just to
keep things running as smoothly as possible but, at time, I am also serving as
mediator among the brothers, adviser to the officers, and, on occasion, ambassador
of our lodge. This is both a behind the scenes position and one that calls for
me to be in the spotlight. I guess you could say that there is a certain amount
of politics that one has to accept when they decide to sit at this desk.
It is
with this at the forefront of my mind that I make the conscious decision each
and every month to do the best job I possibly can to try and make a positive
impact, no matter how small, on the lodge. Obviously, this has not gone
unnoticed and I have been honored to have been reelected for a third term. And
the confidence that the brethren have shone in me is certainly something that I
appreciate and carry with me each and every day and why I am determined to
really make an impact this coming year.
This
year, as I mark my third year in office I will also be celebrating my third
masonic birthday. It is certainly an oddity to have assumed this level of responsibility
so quickly and it is something that I am proud of having accomplished. Three
years ago I was still waiting to hear back from the lodge about when I would be
receiving my degrees (I ended up participating in a one day class in April) and
now I am on the other end of the conversation inviting potential candidates to
join us for dinner before our meeting.
