Masonic Groundhog Day?

Many of the brothers with whom I speak on a regular basis see that there is a repetition at the lodge every month. When I look at my monthly duties I sometimes find myself using that poor choice of words. This usually happens when I am putting together the initial outlines for the notices or minutes and sometimes when I am filling in the ledger or stuffing envelopes. However, that misguided feeling is fleeting.

While I can see why those words are chosen, I tend to disagree with that Groundhog Day assertion and look at the same month over month consistency as the rhythm of the lodge. There are enough things that happen in our lives that come seemingly out of the blue, the same can be said of the lodge as well, that it is rather relaxing to have this annual pattern in place. Each month offers something a little different. Sometimes those differences are obvious while other times you really have to slow down and look at the details.

And that is sometimes what we have to do and what we should do every month… we need to slow down, look at the details, and enjoy the moments that we have together as brothers. Things are constantly changing around us and the slow progress can easily go unnoticed if we keep running through things as fast as we can and assume that every day, month, year is simply just another appearance by Phil. But, even if things stayed the same, it doesn’t mean that we should settle and go through the motions.

There are boundless opportunities for all brothers to enjoy different events, appendant bodies, or simply other lodges. When is the last time you visited another lodge in your district? Jurisdiction? Another state? Another country? And I don’t know about those reading this post but there are a hundred thousand masons in Pennsylvania alone and I certainly haven’t met all of them. I have met a lot of brothers since being raised but certainly not that many.

However, the main thing is that there are some brothers who get into a routine of simply showing up or not showing up. Don’t get me wrong, if you just want to be at the lodge and enjoy the fellowship that is fine but there are many such brothers that see the lodge as unmoving and sometimes stuck in a rut. Honestly, that thought crosses all of our minds at one point or another and I felt the same way at times before I decided to make a personal change and get involved.

That is what it takes. We should have a passion for our fraternity and enjoy our times of fellowship. No mason should feel unwelcomed and no one should be afraid to speak their mind or introduce something new to their fellow brothers. We learn from one another and this is the constant that I seek every month at the lodge. Know your brother as thy self; know your lodge as thy home. This is how we combat that sense of repetitiveness.

One Percent

The polls have long since closed and while some may be happy with the verdicts and others not so much it is all part of the process that too few participate in. If you don’t believe me answer a couple of questions for me. Did you vote? If so, how many people did you see at the polling place?

That’s right, whether you voted or not you know that turnout stinks during off year elections especially when the campaigns that are drawing to a close are for positions that you wouldn’t otherwise think of. Just think about how much you know about this year’s election cycle, how much you know about the candidates, and how much you know about the positions they are running for. It is for this reason that you get more party voters than voters who consider the candidates themselves.

I admit that for many years I didn’t pay too much attention to the off year election cycles but that has slowly changed as many topics have come to the forefront of politics. I am not going to get into the details of those topics or discuss my position on many of them but they drive me to continue voting every year as they should for everyone who has the right to do so. Simply put, if you either like how things are going or want to see change you should be out there taking five minutes out of your day at least once a year to cast your vote and take a stand.

Come to think of it, the lack of turnout may bother me more than the results themselves. People like to complain and debate about the views held by politicians or political parties but they don’t bother to voice their opinion. People like to scream about the “one percent” having all the money and power in this country but they don’t bother being a part of the one percent that votes on an annual or biannual basis.

While I don’t have the money, I don’t have the influence, I am proud to be a member of the one percent. Just like party affiliation, it doesn’t guarantee that everything goes the way that I want or that I agree with everything that moniker stands for but it ensures that my voice is heard no matter how faint the whisper. Like many rights I ardently defend, this is not something for the elite few, it is something that belongs to everyone and I defend that right for all who respect it.

Enjoy the rights you have and the freedom that comes with them. Don’t allow others to taint those rights and stomp on the freedom that it ensures (even if you don’t personally partake of some of those rights and freedoms). Above all, make your voice heard.