The path of an Eagle

It's been almost 6 months since I became an Eagle Scout, but every time somebody asks me what an Eagle Scout means, I have to sit down and think about it. Being an Eagle Scout really isn't about obtaining privileges and opportunities, I feel that it's more about the self-development throughout the journey.

I have been a Boy Scout for 6 years, starting at the age of 11. I started my journey to Eagle Scout in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia under Troop 818. After 3 years, I changed to Troop 455 at Jakarta, Indonesia.

With weekly meetings, I grew up with the scouts, and developed many skills that I know will stay with me for life. And I know that all Eagle Scouts have those skills. But to be a scout, one has to enter the program with a positive attitude, and a passion for learning. I saw that those who weren't inspired by scouting were the ones who didn't advance as fast as others, and they never changed. Whereas those who were really into the club (especially the nerds and geeks) succeeded in growing; both in the scouting community and within themselves.

So what exactly did you learn?

This is the complicated part; being able to figure out and extract those life skills from what has been integrated within myself throughout the years. There is a certain spark that only Eagle Scouts carry. It's this spark which distinguishes them from the rest of the crowd. The spark is so distinct that we can say "Oh. That makes sense for you to be an Eagle Scout. I could see it in you."

But I will try my best to explain in further details what we learn.

Independence - Being a scout really sped up the transition phase between being a child and being an adult. We learn to take care of ourselves in situations where it's necessary. One of the biggest lessons that we learn is that independence is not our ability to do things, it's our ability to make the right decisions. One sees this happening all the time - Wanting to be an adult, by drinking and smoking, is an example of doing something, but being independent means being able to say no and to resist peer pressure. However, understanding independence comes later, when one watches the younger scouts during camping. One'll always hear the "I can cook my own food!" and the "Lets go throw stones at the monkeys!" during these camp-outs, which come from the youngest, doing things because they can. Hearing this from somebody whom you used to be at one point in your life flicks a switch somewhere, and all of a sudden you understand how

to be independent.

Respect - From the early scouting years, one of the vital points of the scouting law is to respect. Respect animals, your environment, the teachers you learn from, the books you read from, the water you drink from, and so on. We learn outdoor codes and little sayings such as "Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints", and I'm sure all of you have seen the brilliant movie UP, where a young scout helps an elder, and eventually comes to respect the elder. Respect is important in shaping one's personality, and building relationships with each other. During the path to Eagle, one understands people, places and other important things, and come to respect it. A careful examination of the way that scouts treat elders, compared to the way other young kids treat elders reveals that the scouts are definitely much more respectful - they listen to the elders and respond in an appropriate manner.

Being Prepared - The Boy Scout motto is "Be Prepared", and this motto has ineffably helped us through life. We learn to be prepared for the worst situation to come, whether it is having a hole in your tent, not bringing enough clothes for a holiday, or walking into a taxi not knowing where to go. We automatically memorize exit routes out of a building, and we always look back on an unknown street so that we can find our ways back. I believe that this is one of the biggest ways that Boy Scouts has affected me.

Leadership - Before becoming an Eagle, all of us have to demonstrate leadership through leading the scouts, whether it's the troop meetings, or during the Eagle Project. Leadership is vital, and it can only be learnt through experience. I had to lead the younger scouts for a few years, and had to guide many through my Eagle Project. I was often the only elder scout at camp-outs or meetings, and would have to take the responsibility of leadership. That means understanding the younger scouts, guiding them the right way without helping them too much, and setting a good example for the rest. I brought leadership outside of the Scout club, and use the techniques that I learnt in my everyday life.

Of course, there are many more things which I learnt from being an Eagle Scout. I can't write all of them down in just a few minutes!

Scouting was a key factor that shaped me during my developing years into a sensible and down-to-earth human being (I hope).