Christian theologian Reinhold Niebuhr is credited with writing the famous Serenity Prayer, which is usually quoted like this:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Despite its Christian origins, the prayer is used by people of all spiritual backgrounds, as well as those in various 12-step recovery programs. It seems to help all sorts of people put the problems they face in perspective.
I thought about the prayer recently when I interviewed a Scoutmaster who leads a troop on a military base. (The resulting article will appear in Scouting magazine next spring.) As he explained, this Scoutmaster faces a couple of unique challenges. First, as is the case with all troops on military bases, he’s liable to lose big groups of members each year as families transition to other assignments. Second, because his base is rather small and has less-than-optimal housing and school options, many families choose to live off base, reducing the population of potential members.
Rather than carp about these things, which he most certainly cannot change, this Scoutmaster is making do with what he has–and is making a difference in the lives of a group of young men.
I’m sure your troop faces challenges as well, including some you cannot change (like the hegemony of youth sports) and some you can change (perhaps a frayed relationship with your chartered organization). By focusing on what you can change and accepting what you can’t with serenity–or at least resignation–you can create a better program and serve more young people in the months and years to come.
Need more great troop program ideas? Check out The Scoutmaster’s Other Handbook, which is available in both print and e-book formats at https://www.eaglebook.com/products.htm#scoutmasters.
Mark Ray | Writer 