Most Worshipful: Even though your term is coming to an end, you still wield a lot of influence over those of us committed to the Craft. You are leading discussions of importance that needed to be shared among brothers. You are creating conversations among many that should have occurred years ago. To this, I will always be grateful. But as you leave office, your impact will be felt for years to come and many, like myself will be better Masons because of you. Thank you.
A *personal* Chamber of Reflection! A place for discussion, mentoring, meditation, spiritual cleansing! Many men would say that their Chamber of Reflection usually has a roll of toilet paper close to hand (as it were), but space is limited to a party of one. My personal meditation room has my Masonic books, my computer, and two chairs. (I need a bigger room!)
I greatly enjoy my responsibilities as a mentor to younger Masons and eagerly anticipate our sessions of education and non-Masonic discussion. I'm coaching a young, newly Raised Master Mason, who wants to start "going through the chairs." I keep telling him, "slowly, slowly catchee monkey." Don't try to do it all at once. It's not a sprint, nor even a marathon. It's a slow hike along the Appalachian Trail. Take time to reflect and absorb.
For which you and I need space and time. Congratulations on finding the perfect venue for your musings!
I would never try and hold back anyone that is eager and willing to advance his craft. Doing so would only frustrate them and dampen their spirit. The only time I would is to make sure they experience every chair and not skip ahead. At the very least start at JD and work their way up, and resist any temptation to leapfrog up the line. I was grateful for my mentors and lodge to make sure that didn't happen to me. Same with education. If a new EA wants to delve into books like Morals and Dogma, he's a better man than me, but I would never tell him not to read it.
Experiencing every chair for their full term makes sure they get the proper time to spend preparing for the next year. This way, by the time they have been installed they have hopefully conferred every degree, passed their PILM, and are ready to lead a lodge. Can you skip ahead? As you well know, sure. But that doesn't mean you should.
On my own journey to the East, I skipped chairs. Most of them actually.
But...
And it's a big but, due to moving across the state, I had a goodly amount of time in which I was in no chair, and in which I got to sample quite a few Lodges. I think that is what allowed me to find success once I eventually got into the chairs, and started getting pushed past them.
Fundamentally, I agree, we do ourselves and the Mason a disservice when we push him into the East too quickly.
MW Brother, like a pebble dropped on a lake causing liquid vibrational waves, your pebble produced a tsunami of new vistas of innovative ideas, provocative insights of influence, creative use of technologies, new standards, plus the historical duties, responsibilities and obligations of a Washington State Most Worshipful Grand Master. Like the immortal phoenix that cyclically regenerates or is otherwise is born again, your new cycle appears to be bright and pregnant with positive potentials. Chamber of reflection? I believe it was Carlos Castaneda that introduced me to a scared space, a place of power which today I call it my Merkabah. It’s too small I need more space too. About 6 years ago I had visioned a multi media studio at our Lodge that would also include some of what you shared above. I was not skilled enough to explain nor inculcate that concept to our Brothers. On behalf of Lady Carol and myself, our deep Gratitude’s and best wishes to you Brother Cameron and Lady Melinda, may the Great Architect Bless you and lead you.
W Rico: Thank you for your very kind words, and for your friendship all these years. Both are greatly appreciated.
Once I've got this space done (job one is convincing the daughter to take her junk to her house, job two is to scrounge a bit more furniture) I look forward to spending some time with you in it!
We'll chat while Melinda and Carol drink wine upstairs!
MW Cameron} Gratitude's Brother, you're very welcomed... I trust job 1 & 2 will be done in due season. It will be super cool to spend time with you and I know Melinda and Carol will enjoy their communion with wine as well... Living the Legend!
MWB I have enjoyed your year in the Grand East, and i feel you have quietly openned doors that will not be easily closed. The Craft is at a tipping point, and i think you did all anyone could do at this moment in time. In human terms there are beginnings and inevitably endings. But like the unnamed masons who crafted the ancient temples, your labors will endure. Your skill as a craftsman will be apparent for generations even when your name has been forgotten. I applaud your zeal, your skill, your commitment and your humanity. Huzzah!
VW: Thank you for your very kind thoughts, and for your support. It means a great deal to me, and I look forward to many discussions with you in the future. My hunch is that you and I are going to have a good project or two that we'll be able to work on together.
Well, although it appears this discussion is being derailed a bit (what else is new!), I'd like to add onto what others have said. It's encouraging to see that there has been at least a small start in seeing masonic education being brought up in various lodges around our district. Not all, obviously, but enough to be a seed of hope. It's absolutely vital to our fraternity that we continue down this path and expand and build on what MW Cameron and others have been championing over the past few years.
Thank you W Glenn. It is not lost on me that you have strongly supported my efforts since day one. I greatly appreciate that, and it gave me confidence knowing that I had a strong man in my corner, ready to assist when needed.
Most Worshipful: Even though your term is coming to an end, you still wield a lot of influence over those of us committed to the Craft. You are leading discussions of importance that needed to be shared among brothers. You are creating conversations among many that should have occurred years ago. To this, I will always be grateful. But as you leave office, your impact will be felt for years to come and many, like myself will be better Masons because of you. Thank you.
Worshipful Brother:
I thank you for your very kind thoughts. I appreciate your support very much, and I've truly enjoyed having the opportunity to get to know you!
A *personal* Chamber of Reflection! A place for discussion, mentoring, meditation, spiritual cleansing! Many men would say that their Chamber of Reflection usually has a roll of toilet paper close to hand (as it were), but space is limited to a party of one. My personal meditation room has my Masonic books, my computer, and two chairs. (I need a bigger room!)
I greatly enjoy my responsibilities as a mentor to younger Masons and eagerly anticipate our sessions of education and non-Masonic discussion. I'm coaching a young, newly Raised Master Mason, who wants to start "going through the chairs." I keep telling him, "slowly, slowly catchee monkey." Don't try to do it all at once. It's not a sprint, nor even a marathon. It's a slow hike along the Appalachian Trail. Take time to reflect and absorb.
For which you and I need space and time. Congratulations on finding the perfect venue for your musings!
I would never try and hold back anyone that is eager and willing to advance his craft. Doing so would only frustrate them and dampen their spirit. The only time I would is to make sure they experience every chair and not skip ahead. At the very least start at JD and work their way up, and resist any temptation to leapfrog up the line. I was grateful for my mentors and lodge to make sure that didn't happen to me. Same with education. If a new EA wants to delve into books like Morals and Dogma, he's a better man than me, but I would never tell him not to read it.
Experiencing every chair for their full term makes sure they get the proper time to spend preparing for the next year. This way, by the time they have been installed they have hopefully conferred every degree, passed their PILM, and are ready to lead a lodge. Can you skip ahead? As you well know, sure. But that doesn't mean you should.
On my own journey to the East, I skipped chairs. Most of them actually.
But...
And it's a big but, due to moving across the state, I had a goodly amount of time in which I was in no chair, and in which I got to sample quite a few Lodges. I think that is what allowed me to find success once I eventually got into the chairs, and started getting pushed past them.
Fundamentally, I agree, we do ourselves and the Mason a disservice when we push him into the East too quickly.
Thank you VW! It has been a long time since I've been in a position to mentor a candidate, and I'm really looking forward to doing that again.
I just hope that I can do as good of job as those who helped me through did for me.
MW Brother, like a pebble dropped on a lake causing liquid vibrational waves, your pebble produced a tsunami of new vistas of innovative ideas, provocative insights of influence, creative use of technologies, new standards, plus the historical duties, responsibilities and obligations of a Washington State Most Worshipful Grand Master. Like the immortal phoenix that cyclically regenerates or is otherwise is born again, your new cycle appears to be bright and pregnant with positive potentials. Chamber of reflection? I believe it was Carlos Castaneda that introduced me to a scared space, a place of power which today I call it my Merkabah. It’s too small I need more space too. About 6 years ago I had visioned a multi media studio at our Lodge that would also include some of what you shared above. I was not skilled enough to explain nor inculcate that concept to our Brothers. On behalf of Lady Carol and myself, our deep Gratitude’s and best wishes to you Brother Cameron and Lady Melinda, may the Great Architect Bless you and lead you.
W Rico: Thank you for your very kind words, and for your friendship all these years. Both are greatly appreciated.
Once I've got this space done (job one is convincing the daughter to take her junk to her house, job two is to scrounge a bit more furniture) I look forward to spending some time with you in it!
We'll chat while Melinda and Carol drink wine upstairs!
MW Cameron} Gratitude's Brother, you're very welcomed... I trust job 1 & 2 will be done in due season. It will be super cool to spend time with you and I know Melinda and Carol will enjoy their communion with wine as well... Living the Legend!
MWB I have enjoyed your year in the Grand East, and i feel you have quietly openned doors that will not be easily closed. The Craft is at a tipping point, and i think you did all anyone could do at this moment in time. In human terms there are beginnings and inevitably endings. But like the unnamed masons who crafted the ancient temples, your labors will endure. Your skill as a craftsman will be apparent for generations even when your name has been forgotten. I applaud your zeal, your skill, your commitment and your humanity. Huzzah!
VW: Thank you for your very kind thoughts, and for your support. It means a great deal to me, and I look forward to many discussions with you in the future. My hunch is that you and I are going to have a good project or two that we'll be able to work on together.
Well, although it appears this discussion is being derailed a bit (what else is new!), I'd like to add onto what others have said. It's encouraging to see that there has been at least a small start in seeing masonic education being brought up in various lodges around our district. Not all, obviously, but enough to be a seed of hope. It's absolutely vital to our fraternity that we continue down this path and expand and build on what MW Cameron and others have been championing over the past few years.
Thank you W Glenn. It is not lost on me that you have strongly supported my efforts since day one. I greatly appreciate that, and it gave me confidence knowing that I had a strong man in my corner, ready to assist when needed.