Getting A Handle On Things

There are some things that I know how to do and others I still have to learn when it comes to the secretarial duties that will soon be handed off to me at the lodge. This was evident on Tuesday night when we were trying to tie things up for the Thursday stated meeting. While I have taken over a few projects there are a lot of others that are still a bit of a, for lack of a better word, mystery to me. And while I know what I am doing with some of the tasks there are formatting details that I still need to get a better handle of and methods that I need to master.

However, it is an exciting time at the lodge. There are a lot of changes on the horizon and not just of the officers sitting at the respective stations. We are getting a few younger members in the door with a lot of energy to give to their fellow brothers. And, while still slow, some projects seem to be clearing hurdles and will soon be started.

We are starting new projects, earning new degrees, experiencing other Masonic bodies, and upgrading the place where we all gather and enjoy the time we spend with our fraternity. Maybe it is a change in my own perspective, but there seems to be a different energy and motivation found within the walls of our ‘modern’ lodge. Of course, maybe things really have changed and I am simply there to play witness to the revival.

It wasn’t that long ago that this building was something that I visited once a month where I got to know a few of the men over dinner. Now there is a much warmer and welcoming feeling when the doors open. The same men and the same greetings just a deeper connection to the craft, the building, and the second home that we have all come to realize has been around us the entire time.

That is the change. You can see the desire to be there (regardless of the words that are spoken) and the passion that each of these men have for the brotherhood. There is a great sense of belonging and my own feelings toward the lodge have only gotten stronger as I have learned more about my impending duties, about the building, and about each of the brothers that I have gotten to know over the past year (only six of those months as a Mason).

With just under two months to go before taking over the daily tasks of the lodge I am looking forward to the honor and responsibility. And I am looking forward to the changes and improvements that are just on the horizon. With so much I still have to learn it is going to be a challenge but one that I am going to enjoy along the way.