I had been around Freemasons since I was in diapers. I didn’t really understand it until I got into my early teens. My Great Uncle lived in Tenino and was a member of Tenino Lodge, and so was my Uncle. This is why I joined Tenino Lodge, despite living 10 miles south in Centralia. I had known the Senior Deacon of Tenino Lodge since I was…
I had been around Freemasons since I was in diapers. I didn’t really understand it until I got into my early teens. My Great Uncle lived in Tenino and was a member of Tenino Lodge, and so was my Uncle. This is why I joined Tenino Lodge, despite living 10 miles south in Centralia. I had known the Senior Deacon of Tenino Lodge since I was a kid, and I was familiar with most of the active members of that Lodge for a few years before I joined.
My Mother is an officer in the local OES Chapter, and my brother is also a member of Tenino Lodge. Yes, Freemasonry is totally a part of all my family’s lives.
But here’s another take on the subject of Family. I’ve never married. In this day and age, that’s not a big deal, but many of us have noted throughout the years, how many Worshipful Masters, Grand Lodge officers and Grand Masters have noted how important their wife (or having a wife) is in their Masonic Journey, and behind every good Mason is a good wife. I’ve also heard that some Brothers shouldn’t have taken on a leadership position because of their situation with their wife (or lack thereof.) As I type this, it has become more clear to me that most of these Brothers mean that if they are truly to succeed, they need the support of their wife. If the Brother’s wife is not supporting what he’s doing, it will make his job considerably more difficult. It doesn’t necessarily mean that a Mason will be at a severe disadvantage if he’s single compared to if he’s married, or that a Mason who is single is shut out of opportunities to contribute to our Fraternity.
One more very important thing concerning family. There are many family members of Brothers who take the Brotherhood of our Fraternity very seriously. I don’t have any biological nieces or nephews, but I do have several of each through our Fraternity. These young ladies and gentlemen truly consider me their uncle, and I have indeed overheard some of them introducing themselves to friends of mine as my niece or nephew. Now, my Brothers, I’m telling you, that means a LOT. It really does. But it’s also the same idea in the other direction, as when I joined, I gained several “Grandfathers,” as many of the active members of the Lodges were my grandfather’s age. While I never referred to them as “Grandpa,” I did mention to friends that they were like Grandfathers to me. That’s what this Fraternity does, and it’s one of the points I try to stress when friends ask me about this “Freemason group” I’m a very active member of.
I do think that it would be much more difficult to succeed as an elected Grand Lodge Officer without an involved Lady. There is a great deal that they do in order for things to be pulled off well.
That said, I don't think that means that a single guy is at a disadvantage.
I think what it means is that a single guy (or even a guy with an uninvolved wife) would be well served in finding a lady who enjoys all the stuff our ladies do, and drafting her into being his lady, not in a romantic sense, but in a Masonic sense. I do know of one GM who did this, perhaps two.
I had been around Freemasons since I was in diapers. I didn’t really understand it until I got into my early teens. My Great Uncle lived in Tenino and was a member of Tenino Lodge, and so was my Uncle. This is why I joined Tenino Lodge, despite living 10 miles south in Centralia. I had known the Senior Deacon of Tenino Lodge since I was a kid, and I was familiar with most of the active members of that Lodge for a few years before I joined.
My Mother is an officer in the local OES Chapter, and my brother is also a member of Tenino Lodge. Yes, Freemasonry is totally a part of all my family’s lives.
But here’s another take on the subject of Family. I’ve never married. In this day and age, that’s not a big deal, but many of us have noted throughout the years, how many Worshipful Masters, Grand Lodge officers and Grand Masters have noted how important their wife (or having a wife) is in their Masonic Journey, and behind every good Mason is a good wife. I’ve also heard that some Brothers shouldn’t have taken on a leadership position because of their situation with their wife (or lack thereof.) As I type this, it has become more clear to me that most of these Brothers mean that if they are truly to succeed, they need the support of their wife. If the Brother’s wife is not supporting what he’s doing, it will make his job considerably more difficult. It doesn’t necessarily mean that a Mason will be at a severe disadvantage if he’s single compared to if he’s married, or that a Mason who is single is shut out of opportunities to contribute to our Fraternity.
One more very important thing concerning family. There are many family members of Brothers who take the Brotherhood of our Fraternity very seriously. I don’t have any biological nieces or nephews, but I do have several of each through our Fraternity. These young ladies and gentlemen truly consider me their uncle, and I have indeed overheard some of them introducing themselves to friends of mine as my niece or nephew. Now, my Brothers, I’m telling you, that means a LOT. It really does. But it’s also the same idea in the other direction, as when I joined, I gained several “Grandfathers,” as many of the active members of the Lodges were my grandfather’s age. While I never referred to them as “Grandpa,” I did mention to friends that they were like Grandfathers to me. That’s what this Fraternity does, and it’s one of the points I try to stress when friends ask me about this “Freemason group” I’m a very active member of.
I do think that it would be much more difficult to succeed as an elected Grand Lodge Officer without an involved Lady. There is a great deal that they do in order for things to be pulled off well.
That said, I don't think that means that a single guy is at a disadvantage.
I think what it means is that a single guy (or even a guy with an uninvolved wife) would be well served in finding a lady who enjoys all the stuff our ladies do, and drafting her into being his lady, not in a romantic sense, but in a Masonic sense. I do know of one GM who did this, perhaps two.