TMI Tuesday: 18 Months

A year and a half (and a day) later and we are still trying to get used to this new life. With all the changes that keep happening and all of the things swirling around in our life right now it is hard to keep track of time. Yesterday, I looked at the calendar and saw that eighteen months has already passed and it is hard to believe how different things are now compared to the life we were living before we became a family.

The day is still etched in my mind, sitting on the surface of memory like it just happened a few days ago. I can still feel my son’s rapid heartbeat as I held him for the first time in the operating room and his tiny pink hand as he gripped my finger for the first time. I can hear the beeping of the monitors faintly filling the background. I can see the words streaming through my phone bringing to the fore both the happy and despicable aspects of humanity. I can see the tears as they silently streamed down my wife’s face both in the joy of the morning and the pain of the evening. However, most importantly, I can see that moment, that first instant, when mother and son embraced one another and began this journey together.

I remember the anxiety and excitement as I pulled the car around to the front entrance, loaded the items that had been accumulating for the past several days into the trunk, and buckled my family into the car. It was a slow ride back to our townhouse and one during which I couldn’t help but think about all the people who would be at the house to greet him and the one that wouldn’t be there. It was a ride that moved us forward as a family but also one during which I wished I could hit eighty eight and drive to the past.

Time has moved so quickly since our son came into our life at 9:14 am and when I look at him it is hard to believe that he was once so small. He has already learned so much and he keeps surprising us every day with how much he knows and understands. Most importantly, even with some of the chaos that has swirled around us, we have protected our son and he remains as happy as ever. While I still enjoy the quiet moments, there is nothing better than coming home to the excited sounds from my son saying “Daddy!”

From Boy To Man To Mason

June meetings are always interesting as you never know what the turnout will be like and what motions will be made before the summer break. It is also a time when I have to make sure that everything is up to date so that nothing gets delayed until September. However, the last meeting before the summer break this year was a little bit different and a welcomed change from the previous years. Attendance was average, motions were minimal, and I was able to get everything off of my desk. But that wasn’t the best part of the night.

While we previously held this large gathering a bit earlier in the year, this time around the last meeting before the summer vacation was Scout Night. Not only is it a great opportunity to see the lodge room filled with so many people (masons, parents, and scouts of all ages) but the engagement between many of the people in attendance is great to see. Contract to what many people think, there is a tremendous masonic influence on the foundation of scouting in the United States and bringing all of us together is a tremendous opportunity to share a little bit about each of our respective organizations.

Further, there are a lot of masons (many of which are serving as officers) who were members of the scouts when growing up. Correction, there are many masons who are scouts as it is something that never leaves them. Of those brothers, quite a few have continued their involvement with scouting while adults whether through guiding their own sons or serving as a mentor for a pack or troop. It was particularly interesting to hear a few of those brothers explain what scouting meant to them growing up and how freemasonry has served to continue those principles and comradery that shaped their lives early on.

By the time the evening came to an end, there was a great atmosphere that was magnified by the evening and the conversations which stemmed from the presentations were fascinating to hear. And with a clean slate for the summer, I was eager to join those remaining in the lodge and enjoy the tremendous success that we have all experienced thus far in the first half of the year. While by no means perfect, I hope that the many achievements that we have fostered over the last several months continue to be a part of our new routine rather than simply a small fortunate period of success.

The program served as a great way to enter into the sweltering months and it should carry over into the fall as we look to complete another fantastically smooth year. And with all of the required tasks completed before the weather turns, we are in a great position to initiate some other projects that have been lagging behind for some time now. The lodge may be dark for two months but the light within remains bright and continues to grow brighter with every passing week.

A Shared Journey

As I sat at my desk and opened my lodge folder, I couldn’t believe that it had been over a year since I found myself participating in a degree conferral. At the same time, I was excited at the prospect of being able to attend extra meetings throughout the remainder of the year. There have been some good men who have already entered the fraternity and a number of other men who have demonstrated interest. Additionally, we have already had some great brothers transfer to our lodge. It is quite the interesting group that we have brought together but also a group of brothers passionate in their own ways about the freemasonry and eager to do their part to improve the fraternity.

I have always enjoyed extra meetings as it is a time when we all come together to continue someone on their masonic journey but it is also a time when we are a little more relaxed when beyond the outer doors. The same can be said about fellowship nights but there is something about the purpose and importance of degree nights that resonates on a much deeper level for me. The simple fact of the matter is that we are all choosing to be at the lodge and participate in these important occasions not just because we believe it to be expected of us but because we enjoy the company of our brothers.

Throughout the night there was a welcoming atmosphere felt by all, newly passed brothers and all others sitting in chairs and on the sidelines. To my recollection, this is a completely different feeling than that which I experienced during the last conferral for which I was in attendance. And it was a great mix of masons from those who are approaching 50 years in the fraternity to those who upon which the last bestowed. All of us present for a singular purpose… to further our collective progress on our respective masonic journeys.

These are the nights when I walk back to the car and drive home feeling as though I have helped to accomplish something… I have participated in something much great than myself. While this is certainly part of stated meetings as well, it is a much more pronounced emotion following the conferral of degrees. What is additionally satisfying about these nights is that soon the men whom I witnesses advancing to the next degree may be the ones conferring those degrees in the future. After all, while I wasn’t present for the meeting, I know that it has already happened once during my short time as a mason.

Busy On Two Levels

When I arrived at the lodge last night I was not surprised to find that I was the first one to pull into the parking lot. Somehow, despite having left the office a little later than usual, I made it to the lodge in nearly record time… why can’t this be the case on meeting nights? After saying goodnight to my son and making my usual stop at the post office, I unlocked the double doors, turned on the lights, and immediately headed for the coffee maker. Still reaping the benefits of making that donation!

After getting a few more things done on the computer and with the coffee cup nearly at half full, I took a break from the illuminated screen and headed out the front door to enjoy the fresh air and the congested sounds of the modern main line. Like many nights before, it was only a couple of minutes and a few phone calls later that our first candidate turned the corner and made his way up the stairs. I really enjoy seeing a motivated candidate at the lodge on these nights.

It is great to get the updates from their perspectives as well because we need to know not only if we are doing our jobs in preparing them but we need to know how everything is being perceived. After all, anyone who has participated in degree work know that it is a combination of substance AND presentation (which includes the ritual). These are the first experiences that a man has as a mason and a memory that will last a lifetime so we need to take the time to make sure that we are on point.

Over the next ten minutes or so, many more brothers walked up and into the building filling the social hall and lodge room with the sounds of good work and education being done. The lodge has come a long way from when I first started attending these fellowship nights soon after being raised. The attendance is certainly up and the dedication in many of the brethren is clear. We have always had a few that put forth the time and energy to guide candidates and now we have many all shining lights on the path.

What is even more reassuring is the fact that we also have other candidates in process and at least one more petition that needs to be read. We are moving forward and there is a difference that can be felt among the brethren. There is a passion in our ritual, a dedication in our words, and a heartfelt commitment in our actions… this is the true difference between a lodge maintaining the status quo and one that is a living and breathing fraternity inspired by the light in each of our fellow brothers. And those lights are getting brighter.

Welcome Back Extra Meetings

It has been too long since we had an extra meeting. Thanks to the work of many brothers at the lodge, we resumed degree conferrals last night for the first time in over a year. While we have had a few transfers and reinstatements since the last extra meeting, I hate to admit it but it has been that long since we welcomed a new brother to the lodge. Things are changing once again for the better and it really is a credit to many of the brothers who have taken a leadership role in the lodge.

While these are my favorite kinds of meetings to attend I was, unfortunately, unable to attend once again due to family commitments. It has been one of those periods when other unavoidable occurrences seem to be part of the regular routine. Actually, I haven’t been able to get completely caught up from the last stated so I now find myself two meeting behind with an official visitation looming in the near future. It is going to be a trying remainder of the month for sure but I am confident that I can, with the continued support of the lodge, make it through these tenuous weeks.

Even though I wasn’t able to attend the meeting, I did manage to stop by the lodge before the meeting and make sure that the candidates were present and that everything was relatively in order for the night. It may have been the most relaxed that I had seen the brethren before a degree conferral in a long time and I hope that this pattern continues as more and more petitions are received and read. Seeing this also reassured me that I was making the right decision to be with my family last night as my only concerns were at home.

By the end of the night, before heading off to bed, it was a great feeling adding three brothers to our roles following the transfer of one brother and the initiation of two others. While I don’t expect a drastic increase in membership, I hope that we can repeat our slow and steady growth from 2014 (2015 was an off year) and build upon these additions to the lodge. At the very least, it will be great to see new masons pursuing the Master Builder Award again along with mentors pursuing the newly established Master Craftsman Award (or Master Pillar Award for that matter). It will take time and effort, but we gladly give of ourselves as these meetings and pursuits will certainly pay dividends in the future.

Unable To Commute To Lodge

While I usually am at the lodge on the Tuesday before a stated meeting, this month it was impossible to maintain that routine as I was in Atlanta for the first half of the week. However, unlike those nights of preparation in the past, it is a great feeling knowing that there really isn’t much that I have to concern myself with for Thursday night. The notice is out, the notes are typed, and all the documents, communications, petitions, etc. are neatly organized in my folder. The only thing that is lacking is the usual stack of bills that need to be read… this is an ongoing issue with the post office to which we are working on a solution.

This year, for the first time in a while, I have been consistently looking forward to being at the lodge. Of course, there are minor things here and there that still have to be worked out and the work load seems to be growing exponentially as of late but it is a different feeling at the meetings and there is a different overall demeanor to those in attendance. With many things smoothed out and petitions once again coming in, there is an optimism present that was hard to find at times in the past.

With next month being our official visitation, I am looking forward to welcoming the brethren from around the district to our lodge. We have made progress since the last substantial gathering and I am proud of the work that we have done to improve the lodge and the building. It really is a testament to those men that I am fortunate enough to call brother as there have been countless hours devoted to improving our small part of the fraternity. This is all due to the brothers who have taken on additional responsibilities and made the effort to thrive in their new roles.

Of course, this would not have been possible without those masons who have at time held the lodge together and in other periods, such as we are experiencing now, encouraged the growth of the lodge and the initiatives of motivated brothers. All of these brothers have made this a worry free business trip for me and I am thankful for this sense of freedom between meetings. I just hope that we can continue this growth and involvement not only this year but for years to come and but the looks of things that will be a reality, our new reality.

Maintaining The Brotherly Bonds

There is currently a vibrancy at the lodge that I haven’t seen for some time. I have been fielding emails and calls for weeks wanting more information about different programs, dates of when events are scheduled, offers to assist me with some of the initiatives underway, and some are just interested in meeting and learning more about the fraternity. Many of the brothers at the lodge are either active or looking for some way to increase their contributions. I can’t recall a time like this happening over the past few years but I am glad to be a part of it and fortunate enough to see the desire to contribute displayed by the brethren. And I have found that one of the best ways for those brothers to actively participate is to reach out to other brothers.

It is a given that this time of year will bring about names of those which we haven’t seen at lodge in months or years (NPD time) but that tally keeps getting smaller and smaller every time I check the mail and for every brother I find on that list, there are ten brothers willing to reach out to find out what is going on. And that is a big change from the last couple of years. Now we have brothers wanting to be active and wanting to share this masonic experience with other brothers that may have, for one reason or another, lost their connection with the fraternity.

This is a hugely important endeavor for any lodge as we should make sure that all of our brothers should experience the feeling of inclusion that many of us take away from our monthly and weekly gatherings. Furthermore, the effort should also be put forth in reconnecting with brothers that, for one reason or another, have been suspended in recent years. While there are explanations given at the time of suspension, we should never assume that we know the reasons behind our brother ceasing to be included in the membership rolls.

Lastly, and most importantly, we need to maintain constant contact will each and every member of the lodge. This is an undertaking too large for one brother to manage himself but, as a lodge, it can easy be accomplished. Whether a brother moved out of the jurisdiction or is simply of advanced age, they are still our brothers and members of the lodge, and they should be treated as such. The last thing that I ever want to see happen is a brother showing up to lodge and not know anyone. While I don’t expect them to have the same connection that many of the regular attendees enjoy, they are still our brother and they should be familiar as a member of our fraternal family.

New Faces And Awards

Something all new masons should strive to achieve! I wonder what the new awards will look like. 

Shortly after arriving at the lodge on Thursday night I was greeted by a few familiar faces as well as some men that I had only met just recently. This is quite the change from the past year as those new faces were those of petitioners and prospective candidates with whom I had primarily spoken with via email. In addition to this mix of men conversing just outside the front door, there were also numerous visitors to our lodge this week. Overall, the makeup of people at the dinner and during the meeting clearly demonstrates the growth of our lodge not just in numbers but in the quality of masons actively participating on a monthly basis.

Leading up to our monthly gathering it has been quite the task juggling the emails and phone calls that have occupied many of my days but it is the great kind of busy that really doesn’t feel like work. While it does take time to reach out and connect, the conversations that I have had over the past month have been very interesting and felt much like catching up with a long lost friend rather than a simple inquiry. While we already have many great masons in the lodge, that number is certain to grow given the interaction that I have had with many of those interested in joining the fraternity.

This convergence of good men striving to be better is what this is all about and I am excited to see how the remainder of the year will progress. We will, of course, be encouraging our new brothers to earn their Master Builder Awards and now we will also have many members of the lodge pursuing other awards that were recently launched… similar to that which is earned by first year masons but with a few differentiators. It will be great to see new brothers and their mentors striving to achieve these recognitions as they learn from their experiences and form a stronger bond as they simultaneously meet each of the requirements for their respective recognition.

At the same time, other lodge projects are moving forward. Some are through my office and others are completely separate from my duties (and I am absolutely okay with that). The whole situation really has me curious to see what we will be able to accomplish this year and the strong position that we will find ourselves in heading into 2017. But, I am definitely getting ahead of myself. The key takeaway so far is that it is going to be a busy year and, more importantly, an active year at the lodge and I am proud to be a part of this masonic experience.

Changes Already Taking Place During Our First Meeting

 

The first stated meeting for any given year is one that usually demonstrates an interesting change over the previous year as there is a new slate of officers sitting in the chairs. While last year the difference from the previous year was rather minimal given the fact that the Worshipful Master served two consecutive terms, this year, this meeting, demonstrated the difference we were all expecting. Even the preparation before the meeting was a little different this time around as rehearsals were held and a fresh slate of topics was set to be addresses right away. With all the topics that were addressed, it is going to be a great year.

What was also a nice change was the simple fact that we had two men in attendance at dinner before the meeting who are interested in petitioning the lodge. Given the fact that it has been far too long since the last petition was read, this was a welcomed change from the previous year. After all, we can’t grow as a lodge if we don’t have new masons being raised. And with the increasingly realized atmosphere during the meal, this was a great time to have potential candidates joining us to break bread and ask questions.

However, my time at lodge this past week was limited due to a family matter that came up at the last minute. For the first time in over a year, I missed the actual meeting. Thankfully, I was able to be at the lodge beforehand and make sure that all information was handed over to my assistant for the meeting. Having someone you can trust to back you up as you assistant is too often overlooked. But, even not having stayed for the actual meeting, I noticed the change from the previous year by seeing the interactions during dinner and talking with many of the brethren the following day. Things are headed in the right direction.

Now I find myself catching up a little bit, not too much thanks to the assistance that I have received, and also looking forward to discussing the topics raised during the meeting this week with many of the brethren. Basically the same routine, which remains no matter who is sitting in the east, once one meeting ends, preparations for the next meeting begins. There are a few things that need to be addressed between now and then but they are all great things to get the lodge moving in the right direction for the current and future years.

Last Notice Of The Year

For the first time in months I am actually on schedule… the final notice of the year is done and ready to be mailed. This is usually the hardest message for me to write or at least it has been these past two years as there is limited space to both reflect on the previous year while also looking forward to the following year. Of course, it also wouldn’t be an end of the year message if I didn’t include another appeal to pay dues.

The past year has been a bit trying but we managed to get through it and now we are entering the new year with a clean slate. Actually, with an almost completely new slate as I will be one of the few staying in my elected office. While there were times over the past twelve months when I questioned whether I even wanted to run for reelection it all came down to living up to the promise I made to myself and others to see this to the end. We are at a point of turning things around at the lodge. While we may fishtail a bit at times, we are still moving in the right direction.

It is with this at the forefront of my mind that I wrote my final message of the year to the brethren. It consisted of wrapping up the events for the year as well as a warm welcome to the incoming officers. While I will in some regards miss the routine that I have enjoyed over the past couple of years under the current leadership, I am also looking forward to the changes on the horizon and getting to know some of the other brothers a little better. This is one of the benefits of being Secretary that only those who have held the office can truly appreciate… you really get to know the people with whom you work and the bond that you have with them is something that is shared, for a brief moment in time, among the officers.

Having missed the final meeting of 2014 due to a medical emergency, I am interested to observe the transition first hand. My first time as a sitting officer and only my second time as a mason. And during this upcoming meeting I am looking forward to seeing the faces of those taking office for the first time. I remember the feeling well and I will never forget it. It truly is a time to remember and an experience that I look to share with some newly elected brothers.

Change And Experience

Once again it was unfortunately a bit of a rush to get things done this month prior to the stated meeting but, just like every other month, everything was taken care of with a little bit of time to spare. However, one thing that I did notice when pulling everything together was how little time that I have available to attend some of the masonic events that are on the calendar for the remainder of the year. With all that is going on at work and at home, there just aren’t enough days for me to do everything.

Another thing that keeps coming up and will continue to do so for the remainder of the months of the year is the transition process that is fast approaching. While the last twelve months have been a bit trying to say the least, I will be continuing in my office at the lodge. As I have stated before, there have been moments of doubt but the requests from my brothers to stay far outweigh those moments of frustration. While I am sure that whomever succeeds me will put forth the same amount of effort that I have and do the job just as well if not better, those honest and thoughtful requests leave me no other option than to stay… I can’t let my brothers down.

This approaching change in leadership has also lead to some interesting conversations. There are many brothers that have the desire to give of their time and energy in service of the lodge. It has been great to see the letters of intent come across my desk and the conversations of what many of the brothers would like to see accomplished in the near future have been interesting to say the least. The next few months should be interesting and the subsequent years look to be a time of tremendous transition and growth.

However, while changes can be a good thing there have been some questionable statements and there is a strong desire by many, including myself, to ensure that traditions and more experienced brethren both continue and resume certain offices in the lodge. The knowledge that these men possess and the respect that they command in the lodge is something that I think we need moving forward. I guess this is a situation that many lodges are currently facing trying to find the right combination of the experience of long standing members and the desire and ideology of some of the newer brethren. I encourage both but, as freemasonry teaches us all, there must be balance both in the lodge and in our own lives.

Summer Masonic Schedule

The dark months are upon us but the lodge remains active. I think I have received more emails over the past few days (at least ones that aren’t junk) than I have over the past month prior. Attendance for fellowship seems to remain steady as the reports back have been positive from both those instructing and new brothers trying to pick things up. While the petitions may be down this year, the new brothers that we have raised over the past year and a half continue to impress us all.

These ‘dark months’ really show all the minor issues that a lodge may have. Our lodge is by no means perfect, but there are fewer and fewer imperfections that can be seen during the summer. With that said, even if they cannot be seen does not mean that they are not there. The difference is the light which is cast by each brother which overpowers those minor faults and allows them to be addressed. That is what we are now witnessing.

The first half of the year is now behind us and while there have been great moments and not so great instances the lodge remains strong and on track to return to the position of prominence in the district and local community that we once held. We have accomplished a lot in these first sixth months following a spectacular year and the second half of this year looks to be an appropriate encore to the success we experienced in 2014. Maybe not the same kind of success, letter for letter, but a different kind with the common trait of helping us to grow, to strengthen, and to flourish.

As I wrote before, we are already planning for next year but, at the same time, making sure that this current year is full of fellowship and fraternity. There are a roster of events that we are all looking forward to which begin next week when a growing group of us will be attending meetings at other lodges both within the district (shoe time) and on the other side of the Commonwealth. We are going to these meetings as a lodge, not as individuals.

With that said, it is nice to have a little flexibility in my schedule now allowing me to catch up and plan for the fall. Many of these summer events also give me the opportunity to bring my family and not have to choose where I spend my time. It is the best way to spend the summer and something I have been looking forward to all year.

An Unexpected Work Email

Soon after my son entered this world my wife and I were both on Facebook sending the first photos of his arrival and chatting with some family and friends about his early arrival. While on the social media site I also came across an interesting message from a company that I had not worked with for over three years. At my previous public relations firm I had led the account for this company and every now and again I would read the updates posted by the CEO and send a quick message here and there about where I was and what I was doing. However, this message was completely out of the blue.

The note was very simple requesting my email address so that he could have his head of PR get in touch with me. I didn’t give it a second thought and gladly sent him my work email. As day turned into night and other events clearly taking precedence in my mind, I had forgotten about the brief chat by the next morning. A couple of days later, having just woken up from a less than refreshing sleep in a hospital bed, I opened my work email and found a message which filled in a few of the missing pieces.

As it turns out, the company was once again looking to invest in public relation in the US and I was one whom the CEO thought of to get the process moving. Keep in mind that this was my favorite company and CEO to work with in the past but since that time I had little contact with him. It was flattering to say the least that he thought enough of me to circle back after such a long time.

When I first started working with this company they really were in the early stages of development and exposure. Over time we worked together to hit a number of milestones both in the size of the company and the funding that it had behind its continued development. Since I last worked with them they have increased in size by over 400% and all the things that we talked about in the past of wanting to do were now coming to fruition.

Since those email correspondences, I have spoken with the company over the phone and provided a little more background on what I am going now and the vast capabilities of my current company. We are moving forward in this exploratory process and I am hopeful that we will be able to work together as this is still a company that I am very excited about and I want to be a part of the growth and immense potential that it continues to possess. However, at the very least, I am happy that the CEO felt the same about me and that all the things that we discussed over three years ago are now a reality.

A Little Lodge Surprise

 Having received the email earlier in the morning, I was sitting at the kitchen table yesterday continuing to work on a variety of pressing projects while rummaging through the overflow of papers that had taken over my work bag. In the middle of all this I was going back and forth on my lode email trying to determine whether or not we would still be having fellowship during this cold and windy night. As the afternoon continued, it seemed less and less likely that I would be joined by my fellow brothers… it looked as though it was going to be a quick evening.

With no real anticipation of being joined in Ardmore that night, I took my time finishing up a few things, packing my bag, and heading out the door. While I would normally arrive after work around 7, last night I turned the corner about thirty minutes later than usual and noticed something surprising… all the lights were on. After checking the mailbox across the street I walked through the main doors only to find a first floor void of any activity. Without a second thought I made my way up the stairs and found the lodge room door wide open and a few muffled instructions coming from within.

I entered the room only to find that I had become the longest standing member of the lodge in this small but dedicated group of 6 brothers. I think that might have been the first time that I had experienced that and it was a bit of an odd feeling. They were all there to learn some of the roles during the degree work going step by step lead by a brother raised only 5 months prior. Impressive leadership to say the least.

With things well under control I walked to the front of the room, pulled out the mail and the ledger, and took care of a few of the items that I had just retrieved from the post office. Once those few items were taken care of, it was time to pull out the computer (another odd feeling for me sitting at desk in the lodge room) and get some other work done that I had been putting off all day. Basically all the items that are without deadlines but should be taken care of as soon as I have a free moment or two.

Even while working I was still able to look out over the screen and check on the progress of our new brothers. Occasionally a question would be cast in my direction and, to my surprise, I was able to respond rather quickly. I guess I have absorbed more than I realized over the past couple of years.

The night came to an end around the usual time and we all made our way back out into the frigid weather. Some of us heading home to family while others taking the time to grab some dinner before getting on the road. However, we all left knowing that we would see each other again the following week which is a welcomed change from just a year ago.

Brother Helping Brother

With a rather hectic day behind me I found myself trying to catch up and take care of those quick phone calls that seem to get lost in the minutes of the calendar. Having checked off a few of the things that I had fallen behind on I made one more call before I left the office. It had been well over a week since I placed the print over at Staples for the lodge and I haven’t heard anything from them. I am glad that I decided to pick up the phone as I was able to swing through Bryn Mawr and pick up everything that we needed to send the notice out this weekend (with the exception of the notice which will get done later this week).

With a fresh stockpile of dues cards, an address stamp, and newly retrieved mail in hand, I walked through the front door just as the Worshipful Master was heading out. After reviewing a few quick items (including the aforementioned dues cards which have a very minor change over the old stock), we circled up on a couple of things, shook hands, and parted for the evening. When I walked in I didn’t notice many brothers in the hall with the exception of a new mason putting together the announcement board in the corner. However, it was quite and I soon found myself finishing up a few items a little faster than usual and heading up to the lodge room to grab the embosser.

It was here where I found all the brothers that I thought would be at the lodge. Split into a couple of groups to work with new candidates, many of the recently raised brothers were instructing them on what they had just learned the previous week. Can’t say that I would have been able to do the same thing so soon after being raised. It really was something to behold as this was for them a normal part of being a mason. The fellowship that we have tried so hard to foster over the past year was slowly becoming part of what is expected from candidates and, therefore, new masons.

It was the epitome of brother helping brother. The room was mostly filled with those who have been masons for two years or less with a Past Master offering his wisdom and experience when needed. While I offered a few tips here and there to the new masons, I pretty much stood back and enjoyed being in the midst of such a drastic change over what we experienced last winter. While there are things that need to be done every week at the lodge, this is really what makes me look forward to driving to Ardmore every Tuesday night.

Encore

While my second term may have officially started late last month, the second year of my service as Secretary of the lodge didn’t really start until the stated meeting this past week. When I look back I am proud of all that we have accomplished as a lodge over the last twelve months and I am glad that I was able to play a small role in ensuring our growth and overall success. Of course, that is all in the past now and we are already moving quickly to get this new year off to a fast start. And during the first stated meeting of the year that is exactly what took place.

We didn’t get the petitions that I had hoped to receive during the meeting but everything else went as planned and the calendar was outline for all the brethren in attendance. There are a lot of items on our list of events, more than last year, and additional support is now in place for new brothers. I guess you could say that it is a natural progression from last year but that is never a guarantee and it was good to see that we are all doing our parts to keep the significant momentum going. Hopefully we don’t have the same kinds of bumps (and drastic detours) along the way that we experienced after this past summer.

It has been a year of mostly highs with a few chaotic moments thrown in to make us appreciate the fellowship and support that we offer one another as brothers. It has also been a tremendous time of learning as there were many times over the course of the past year that I had to step back, take a look at what needed to be done, and educate myself as to the process, limitations, and/or actions that could be taken. In the end, we all came together, grabbed the wheel, and made sure that we turned the corner.

This year there are things that will certainly be easier as I have now done them at least once before but there are also much higher expectations that I am setting for myself as well as my fellow brothers. We need to continue our growth, increase involvement, and make sure that all the processes and programs are set up in such a way that they can be sustained for years to come. Thankfully, given what I have seen from both established and new brothers alike, this new mentality and light that has been found is something that will definitely continue and our lodge will remain a proud example of what Masons can do when they truly consider one another brothers.

Making Improvements

There was a different atmosphere at the lodge last night as the crowd continues to slowly grow during these times of fellowship. No meeting, no degrees, just time to spend with our fellow brothers, prepare those in the process of getting their degrees, and continue planning for the end of the year and the long year ahead of us. It is also a time to talk about all the things that we would like to see done to the building as we discuss changes and improvements to our space.

While we have the brothers now showing up and getting more involved, we would like to make the space more appealing and entice more of the lodge to join us during these nights. This is all part of the resurgence that I have written about previously. We have the motivation and the participation, now we are working on the other things that will accelerate that change. The actual lodge building is only a part of that effort.

Over the past year we have slowly been increasing our presence in the community through open houses, Alex’s Lemonade Stand fundraisers, the CHIP event during National Night Out, and soon we will be having a community blood drive. Each of these things you have read about at one point or another and while they are great events to open up to the community they have also been a great way for the brethren to get involved and have their family join in the efforts. Being able to include brothers, family members, candidates, and potential candidates has been a great way to reinforce the fact that we are all part of the same fraternal family working together to help and support our community.

There seems to be a growing sense of pride among the brethren as well. We are proud to be members of this fraternity and we want to get to the point when we can have that same sense of pride in the building itself. During the many open events and meetings over the past year we have been happy to bring family and friends to take part in the occasions but, at times, there were always those lingering moments when we would have to explain at one point or another that the building itself is still a work in progress. I look forward to the day when no explanation is needed.  

In one way or another, these are issues that all lodges are facing right now. Some may be further along in certain aspects but the general goals remain the same. We want our lodge and the fraternity as a whole to grow, our lodges be places where people look forward to meeting, and our communities to know the good work that is being done both within and outside the walls of our buildings. Our goal has always been to make good men better but we also need to look beyond that principle by making our community better and our families stronger. These are pillars of our fraternity and they remain essential to our future success.

Where Has The Time Gone?

Every year my parents have a holiday party at their house. There are a few relatives that the only time that I see them during the year is at this party so it is a nice opportunity to try and catch up. In previous years there have been dozens of family and friends present filling all the rooms on the first floor and making it a challenge to walk across the house. While a smaller gathering this year due to illness and other life events, it was a great time to sit, talk, catch up, and eat.

Like every year, the kids took over the basement and provided some entertainment throughout the evening as we all participated in the usual game of dodge door. Every twenty minutes or so we could hear the low rumble of little feet stomping up the carpeted stairs. A few seconds later the knob would jiggle and turn and the door would come flying open. For the most part, everyone knows that you either don’t stand there or you keep your ears open to the stampede.

I was once one of those kids running up the stairs but as is clear when thinking about years past, things have changed and we have all gotten older. Many family members are no longer with us but this party proves to be the perfect time to think back to the happy, and sometimes funny, moments that we were able to enjoy with them. Even just seeing a large group of people in a room and recalling the lineup on the couch holding court in the family room. Sometimes it is as simple as recalling an image.

By the end of the evening, the cooler was much lighter, the tables were a little thinner, and the desert table looked like a bomb went off leaving cake bits and cookie crumbs strewn about. While some were still standing and a few of us sitting wherever we felt like no longer standing, all of us were quite full and not really wanting to move too much (although there were a few people making some determined trips to the dessert table). This is the time of evening when everyone realizes that it might be best if they start heading out the door and make their way home.

It is also a constant surprise as to how quickly time goes by at these parties. You sit down and start talking and before you know it half the people have left and it’s time to go home. This is always an interesting shuffle at the end of the evening as no matter how good you think your plan is when you arrive, it is inevitable that you are going to have to wait for someone to move their car before you will be able to leave. A good time was had by all and I am already looking forward to next year.

It’s Official

As I knelt before the word of G-d and was administer the Oath of Secretary of my lodge I couldn’t help but look back and think about all that has changed over the past year and a half. The same man that was administering the oath was the mason I met in the summer of 2012 to start the process of becoming a brother. Not knowing anyone from the lodge, he was the first one I met, petition in hand with a secondary signer (my uncle) already filled in. He was the first person at the lodge I got to know and now he was escorting me to my new station.

Also in attendance was the man who served as my second line signer, who accompanied me through my first three degrees, and who was now witnessing my next step by becoming an officer in the lodge that has quickly become a passionate part of my life. My uncle supported my journey from the first time I discussed my desire to join the fraternity and continues to support my growth in the craft. Having him there as a representative of my family made the night even more special and I appreciate everything he has, unknowingly, done for me.

Being the first one of the night to take the oath of office I was able to sit back and witness the remaining transitions. Obviously, this was my first experience watching let alone participating in the installation of officers and it was interesting to see the humbled pride that men have when being granted with such an honor. We all know that each of our posts will require a lot of work but there is great satisfaction in the work that we do and there is a brotherly love that is magnified when the entire lodge supports your appointment.

Of course, with a new administration comes new goals, new objectives, as well as a desire to improve upon the lodge and leave a positive impression on our fellow brothers and the craft itself. Now is the time to be a motivated idealist. The challenge is to maintain that drive to keep moving things forward no matter how slow the progress may be. It is a period of transition and a time of learning for all of us. It is our job to serve our brothers and to enhance their masonic experience. While not an original idea that is my objective throughout my service to my lodge, my fellow brothers, and to freemasonry. Tonight was the first small step in accomplishing that goal.

Commonality

I have never really given too much thought to my birthday in my adult life. It’s one of those things that, when you think about it, you are celebrating being another day older. I guess the only thing that comes about more often regarding this day is when someone has a similar birthday or some event happens to fall on this day. Other than that, it is an excuse to be with family and friends and to enjoy the fact that I have experienced a lot in the last year and however hard it may have been at times I have made it through.

Something fun to do this time of year is to find out what happened on this day and discover the people that I share this birthday with. This year, I share this Wikipedia list with you and I encourage you to do the same on your birthday as it is one of the ways to accumulate random Jeopardy knowledge. Enjoy!

Events:

• 355 – Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with the government of the Prefecture of the Gauls.
• 1528 – Shipwrecked Spanish conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca becomes the first known European to set foot in the area that would become Texas.
• 1632 – Thirty years war: Battle of Lützen is fought, the Swedes are victorious but the King of Sweden, Gustavus Adolphus dies in the battle.
• 1789 – Pope Pius VI appoints Father John Carroll as the first Catholic bishop in the United States.
• 1844 – The first constitution of the Dominican Republic is adopted.
• 1856 – Scenes of Clerical Life, the first work of fiction by the author later known as George Eliot, is submitted for publication.
• 1861 – American Civil War: Jefferson Davis is elected president of the Confederate States of America.
• 1865 – American Civil War: CSS Shenandoah is the last Confederate combat unit to surrender after circumnavigating the globe on a cruise on which it sank or captured 37 unarmed merchant vessels.
• 1869 – In New Brunswick, New Jersey, Rutgers College defeats Princeton University (then known as the College of New Jersey), 6–4, in the first official intercollegiate American football game.
• 1913 – Mohandas Gandhi is arrested while leading a march of Indian miners in South Africa.
• 1917 – World War I: Third Battle of Ypres ends: After three months of fierce fighting, Canadian forces take Passchendaele in Belgium.
• 1918 – The Second Polish Republic is proclaimed.
• 1934 – Memphis, Tennessee becomes the first major city to join the Tennessee Valley Authority.
• 1935 – Edwin Armstrong presents his paper "A Method of Reducing Disturbances in Radio Signaling by a System of Frequency Modulation" to the New York section of the Institute of Radio Engineers.
• 1935 – First flight of the Hawker Hurricane, with its K5083 first prototype.
• 1935 – Parker Brothers acquires the forerunner patents for MONOPOLY from Elizabeth Magie.
• 1939 – World War II: Sonderaktion Krakau takes place.
• 1941 – World War II: Soviet leader Joseph Stalin addresses the Soviet Union for only the second time during his 27-year rule. He falsely states that even though 350,000 troops were killed in German attacks so far, the Germans had lost 4.5 million soldiers and that Soviet victory was near.
• 1942 – World War II: Carlson's patrol during the Guadalcanal Campaign begins.
• 1943 – World War II: the Soviet Red Army recaptures Kiev. Before withdrawing, the Germans destroy most of the city's ancient buildings.
• 1944 – Plutonium is first produced at the Hanford Atomic Facility and subsequently used in the Fat Man atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan.
• 1947 – Meet the Press makes its television debut (the show went to a weekly schedule on September 12, 1948).
• 1948 – Deputy commander-in-chief of the Eastern China Field Army General Su Yu launches a massive offensive toward Xuzhou, defended by seven different armies under the Suppression General Headquarter of Xuzhou Garrison, the Huaihai Campaign. The largest operational campaign of the Chinese Civil War begins.
• 1962 – Apartheid: The United Nations General Assembly passes a resolution condemning South Africa's racist apartheid policies and calls for all UN member states to cease military and economic relations with the nation.
• 1963 – Vietnam War: Following the November 1 coup and execution of President Ngo Dinh Diem, coup leader General Duong Van Minh takes over leadership of South Vietnam.
• 1965 – Cuba and the United States formally agree to begin an airlift for Cubans who want to go to the United States. By 1971, 250,000 Cubans had made use of this program.
• 1971 – The United States Atomic Energy Commission tests the largest U.S. underground hydrogen bomb, code-named Cannikin, on Amchitka Island in the Aleutians.
• 1975 – Green March begins: 300,000 unarmed Moroccans converge on the southern city of Tarfaya and wait for a signal from King Hassan II of Morocco to cross into Western Sahara.
• 1977 – The Kelly Barnes Dam, located above Toccoa Falls Bible College near Toccoa, Georgia, fails, killing 39.
• 1985 – In Colombia, leftist guerrillas of the 19th of April Movement seize control of the Palace of Justice in Bogotá, eventually killing 115 people, 11 of them Supreme Court justices.
• 1986 – Sumburgh disaster – A British International Helicopters Boeing 234LR Chinook crashes 2.5 !2¹⁄₂ miles east of Sumburgh Airport killing 45 people. It is the deadliest civilian helicopter crash on record.
• 1991 – The last Kuwaiti oil field fire is extinguished.
• 1995 – The Rova of Antananarivo, home of the sovereigns of Madagascar from the 16th to 19th centuries, is destroyed by fire.
• 1995 – Cleveland Browns relocation controversy: Art Modell announces that he signed a deal that would relocate the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore to become the Baltimore Ravens, the first time the city had a football team since 1983 when they were the Baltimore Colts.
• 1999 – Australians vote to keep the Head of the Commonwealth as their head of state in the Australian republic referendum.
• 2004 – An express train collides with a stationary car near the village of Ufton Nervet, England, killing seven and injuring 150.

Births:

• 745 – Musa al-Kadhim, Imam (d. 799)
• 1391 – Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March, English politician (d. 1425)
• 1479 – Joanna of Castile (d. 1555)
• 1494 – Suleiman the Magnificent, Ottoman sultan (d. 1566)
• 1550 – Karin Månsdotter, Swedish wife of Eric XIV of Sweden (d. 1612)
• 1607 – Sigmund Theophil Staden, German composer (d. 1655)
• 1661 – Charles II of Spain (d. 1700)
• 1692 – Louis Racine, French poet (d. 1763)
• 1753 – Jean-Baptiste Breval, French composer (d. 1823)
• 1753 – Mikhail Kozlovsky, Russian sculptor (d. 1802)
• 1814 – Adolphe Sax, Belgian musician, invented the saxophone (d. 1894)
• 1833 – Jonas Lie, Norwegian author (d. 1908)
• 1835 – Cesare Lombroso, Italian psychiatrist (d. 1909)
• 1841 – Nelson W. Aldrich, American politician (d. 1915)
• 1841 – Armand Fallières, French politician, President of France (d. 1931)
• 1851 – Charles Dow, American journalist and economist (d. 1902)
• 1854 – John Philip Sousa, American composer (d. 1932)
• 1855 – E. S. Gosney, American philanthropist and eugenicist, founded the Human Betterment Foundation (d. 1942)
• 1861 – James Naismith, Canadian-American inventor of basketball (d. 1939)
• 1880 – Robert Musil, Austrian author (d. 1942)
• 1880 – George Poage, American hurdler (d. 1962)
• 1880 – Chris van Abkoude, Dutch-American author (d. 1959)
• 1882 – Thomas H. Ince, American actor, director, and producer (d. 1924)
• 1884 – Mohammad-Taqi Bahar, Iranian poet, journalist, historian and professor of literature (d. 1951)
• 1887 – Walter Johnson, American baseball player (d. 1946)
• 1892 – Harold Ross, American journalist, co-founded The New Yorker (d. 1951)
• 1893 – Edsel Ford, American businessman (d. 1943)
• 1894 – Opal Kunz, early American aviator and feminist (d. 1967)
• 1903 – June Marlowe, American actress (d. 1984)
• 1906 – James D. Norris, American businessman (d. 1966)
• 1912 – N. Shanmugarajah, Ceylon Tamil engineer
• 1914 – Jonathan Harris, American actor (d. 2002)
• 1916 – Ray Conniff, American composer and conductor (d. 2002)
• 1921 – Eric Day, English footballer (d. 2012)
• 1921 – James Jones, American author (d. 1977)
• 1922 – Frank J. Lynch, American judge and politician (d. 1987)
• 1923 – Ray B. Sitton, American pilot and general (d. 2013)
• 1924 – Jeanette Schmid, Austrian whistler (d. 2005)
• 1925 – Michel Bouquet, French actor
• 1926 – Haradhan Bandopadhyay, Bengali-Indian actor (d. 2013)
• 1926 – Frank Carson, Irish comedian and actor (d. 2012)
• 1926 – Zig Ziglar, American author (d. 2012)
• 1930 – Tom Hornbein, American mountaineer
• 1931 – Peter Collins, English race car driver (d. 1958)
• 1931 – Mike Nichols, German-American director, screenwriter, and producer
• 1932 – Stonewall Jackson, American singer-songwriter
• 1932 – Francois Englert, Belgian physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
• 1937 – Leo Goeke, American tenor (d. 2012)
• 1937 – Garry Gross, American photographer (d. 2010)
• 1937 – Eugene Pitt, American singer (The Jive Five)
• 1937 – Marco Vassi, American author (d. 1989)
• 1937 – Joe Warfield, American actor and director
• 1938 – Mack Jones, American baseball player (d. 2004)
• 1938 – Branko Mikasinovich, Serbian journalist and scholar
• 1938 – P.J. Proby, American singer-songwriter and actor
• 1938 – Diana E. H. Russell, South African activist and author
• 1939 – Michael Schwerner, American activist (d. 1964)
• 1939 – Leonardo Quisumbing, Filipino jurist
• 1940 – Johnny Giles, Irish footballer
• 1940 – Ruth Messinger, American politician
• 1940 – Dieter F. Uchtdorf, American pilot and religious leader
• 1941 – Guy Clark, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
• 1946 – Sally Field, American actress
• 1946 – Viivi Luik, Estonian poet and author
• 1946 – Fred Penner, Canadian singer and guitarist
• 1947 – Jim Rosenthal, English sportscaster
• 1947 – Edward Yang, Taiwanese director (d. 2007)
• 1947 – George Young, Scottish guitarist, songwriter, and producer (Easybeats and Flash and the Pan)
• 1947 – Carolyn Seymour, English actress
• 1948 – Sidney Blumenthal, American journalist
• 1948 – Glenn Frey, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (Eagles)
• 1949 – Brad Davis, American actor (d. 1991)
• 1949 – Nigel Havers, English actor
• 1949 – Arturo Sandoval, Cuban trumpet player, pianist, and composer
• 1949 – Joseph C. Wilson, American diplomat
• 1950 – Amir Aczel, Israeli historian
• 1950 – Chris Glen, Scottish bass player (The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and Michael Schenker Group)
• 1950 – Nimalan Soundaranayagam, Sri Lankan Tamil teacher and politician (d. 2000)
• 1951 – Peter Althin, Swedish lawyer and politician
• 1951 – John Falsey, American scriptwriter and producer
• 1952 – Michael Cunningham, American author
• 1953 – Frank Hanisch, German footballer
• 1954 – Catherine Crier, American judge, journalist, and author
• 1955 – Alton Coleman, American serial killer (d. 2002)
• 1955 – Maria Shriver, American journalist
• 1957 – Cam Clarke, American voice actor and singer
• 1957 – Klaus Kleinfeld, German businessman
• 1957 – Siobhán McCarthy, Irish actress and singer
• 1957 – Lori Singer, American actress
• 1958 – Trace Beaulieu, American actor
• 1959 – Mare Tommingas, Estonian dancer and choreographer
• 1960 – Michael Cerveris, American actor
• 1961 – Kazuhiko Aoki, Japanese video game designer
• 1961 – Craig Goldy, American guitarist (Dio, Giuffria, and Rough Cutt)
• 1961 – Florent Pagny, French singer-songwriter and actor
• 1962 – Aznil Nawawi, Malaysian actor and singer
• 1962 – Annette Zilinskas, American musician and singer, who was the original bass guitarist for The Bangles then later lead vocalist with Blood on the Saddle
• 1963 – Rozz Williams, American singer-songwriter (Christian Death, Shadow Project, and Premature Ejaculation) (d. 1998)
• 1964 – Kerry Conran, American director and producer
• 1964 – Arne Duncan, American educator, 9th United States Secretary of Education
• 1964 – Corey Glover, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (Living Color and Galactic)
• 1964 – Greg Graffin, American singer-songwriter, producer, and author (Bad Religion)
• 1964 – Arkie Whiteley, Australian actress (d. 2001)
• 1965 – René Unglaube, German footballer
• 1966 – Peter DeLuise, American actor and director
• 1966 – Paul Gilbert, American guitarist and singer (Mr. Big, Racer X, and Yellow Matter Custard)
• 1966 – Elizabeth Price, English artist
• 1967 – Rebecca Schaeffer, American actress (d. 1989)
• 1968 – Caesar Meadows, American cartoonist
• 1968 – Kelly Rutherford, American actress
• 1968 – Alfred Williams, American football player
• 1968 – Jerry Yang, Taiwanese-American businessman, co-founded Yahoo!
• 1970 – Ethan Hawke, American actor, director, and screenwriter
• 1971 – Clonie Gowen, American poker player
• 1972 – Deivi Cruz, Dominican baseball player
• 1972 – Garry Flitcroft, English footballer
• 1972 – Adonis Georgiades, Greek politician and author
• 1972 – Thandie Newton, English actress
• 1972 – Rebecca Romijn, American actress
• 1973 – Nell McAndrew, English model
• 1974 – Zoe McLellan, American actress
• 1974 – Frank Vandenbroucke, Belgian cyclist (d. 2009)
• 1975 – Tarmo Saks, Estonian footballer
• 1976 – Catherine Clark, Canadian journalist
• 1976 – Mike Herrera, American singer-songwriter and bass player (MxPx and Mike Herrera's Tumbledown)
• 1976 – Jodi Martin, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1976 – Pat Tillman, American football player (d. 2004)
• 1977 – Patrícia Tavares, Portuguese actress
• 1978 – Sandrine Blancke, Belgian actress
• 1978 – Daniella Cicarelli, Brazilian model and television host
• 1978 – Jolina Magdangal, Filipino singer and actress
• 1978 – Taryn Manning, American singer-songwriter and actress (Boomkat)
• 1978 – Zak Morioka, Brazilian race car driver
• 1979 – Adam LaRoche, American baseball player
• 1979 – Lamar Odom, American basketball player
• 1979 – Gerli Padar, Estonian singer
• 1979 – Brad Stuart, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1979 – Myolie Wu, Hong Kong actress
• 1981 – Cassie Bernall, American student, victim of the Columbine High School massacre (d. 1999)
• 1981 – Lee Dong-wook, South Korean actor
• 1981 – Kaspars Gorkšs, Latvian footballer
• 1981 – Andrew Murray, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1982 – Sowelu, Japanese singer
• 1982 – Steve Millar, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1983 – Jon Hume, Australian singer-songwriter and producer (Evermore)
• 1983 – Janette McBride, Filipino-Australian actress
• 1984 – Ricky Romero, American baseball player
• 1984 – Sebastian Schachten, German footballer
• 1985 – Ettore Marchi, Italian footballer
• 1986 – Katie Leclerc, American actress
• 1986 – Conor Sammon, Irish footballer
• 1987 – Ana Ivanovic, Serbian tennis player
• 1988 – Erik Lund, Swedish footballer
• 1988 – Emma Stone, American actress
• 1989 – Jozy Altidore, American soccer player
• 1989 – Shaina Magdayao, Filipino actress, singer, and dancer
• 1990 – André Schürrle, German footballer
• 1990 – Valentina Nappi, Italian pornographic actress and adult model
• 1992 – Paula Kania, Polish tennis player
• 1997 – Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, English actor