At Scouts we encourage our young people to explore their own beliefs and attitudes. In this post, one of our Scout Network members, Kimberly-Kate, discusses how the Scout values intertwine with her own beliefs as part of her King’s Scout Award.
There is a prayer recited by both those with and without a faith which is known as the Serenity prayer. It talks of having serenity, courage and wisdom throughout all seasons of life.
As a Scout we are led to hold integrity, respect, care, belief and co-operation as core values and to weave these into our lives to the benefit of those around us as well as ourselves.
As a Christian, my personal faith and the values that I follow have provided confidence that I could achieve the various activities, challenges and milestones that were ahead. Looking back, I hope that along the way I have provided respect and care to others, integrity courage and wisdom when leading an activity and the serenity to accept when things have not gone to plan.
The value I have not yet included is belief. If I had not had the belief that I could continue onwards during my DofE hikes, when my legs were aching beyond expectation, or the belief that I could integrate and complete the King’s Scout Award alongside a busy job I would not be where I am today. Belief is what drives each person forward, whatever their end goal.
Scouting has left a lasting mark on my life. I aim to treat my colleagues and friends with the values that I would have stived to uphold with other Scouts. The same values have helped reach goals in my career and aided when helping others reach theirs.
I now work as a Flying Instructor where respect between instructors and students is crucial to a safe flight. Co-operation and integrity ensure that lessons make the most out of the student’s time, weather conditions and course progression. In addition, wisdom and serenity play a big part in my own ability to teach with care when progression slows. Lastly, courage and belief is what allows both the student and myself to reach the waypoints that we are aiming for.
So, whatever your faith or even if you have none, I hope that the values of Scouting enrich your life as they have mine and “May you have the serenity to accept what you cannot change, the courage to change what you can, and the wisdom to know the difference”.