- Being materialistic is dumb. People can be happy for weeks in the middle of the woods with nothing but food, water, the scout outdoor essentials, a tent, and a sleeping bag.
There have been times that I have thought, "I would be much happier if I had ..." I think that being able to be happy with very few creature comforts is a valuable ability. No one should feel bad because they do not own a certain something. I have seen my friends drive themselves into debt by buying x-box games and mp3 players. If the masses realized that they can be happy with very little material stuff, perhaps there would be far less greed in the world.
- Duct tape, plastic trash bags, tent stakes, and many other seemingly ordinary objects actually have thousands of possible uses.
Some Uses for A Plastic Trash Bag
- rain coat
- transpiration bag for collecting drinking water from plants.
- emergency sleeping bag
- stuff it with leaves to make a pillow or mattress
- sling for a broken collarbone or arm
- shelter from the sun
- rain cover for a backpack
- fill one with sand or dirt to make a weight that can
keep your tent from blowing away
Planning, leadership, and communication skills are some of the best things that can be learned as a Scout.
Personal politics can ruin an organization, even if everyone in it has good intentions.
The soccer moms and grumpy old men that provided most of the logistical support to my troop would bicker about their own personal differences while their sons played capture the flag together. This resulted in the cancellation of some activities and the withdrawl of some leaders and their kids from my troop.
When you travel to higher elevations, the atmospheric pressure drops. Unless you do something to prevent it, this will cause your toothpaste, sunblock, and just about any other not-well-sealed container in your backpack to leak.
Often, many people will pass right by someone that is in need of assistance. Perhaps this is because they do not notice, or perhaps it is because they do not think that they can help. By simply being more alert than the average person, and looking for subtle signs that someone is in need, you may find ample opportunities to do a good turn daily.
On two occasions so far, I have encountered elderly men, presumably with Alzheimer's disease, that have wandered away from their home and become lost. On both occasions, many people walked and drove past the men that were obviously disoriented and in need of help. After politely talking to them and determining that they were actually incapable of taking care of themselves, I called 911 and had them taken to a hospital.
Be Prepared
This dosn't just mean that you should carry around a bunch of useful gadgets or learn skills that may be useful. It also means that whenever you know that you are going to have to do something, or that something may happen, you should think hard about what you should do beforehand to ensure a favorable outcome.