Instinct told me it's job week and they are out to do the odd jobs. 'Hold on! Coming!' I shouted out from my bedroom window. I let them in.
I was glad to see Adam and Sanjeeva. In all these years I've hardly had contact with Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. It brings back so many cherished memories of the young school days when I diligently dressed in my Girl Guide uniform for the meetings. Also, graduated to being a Land Ranger as I grew older.
Sad to say I do not have any photos of myself in my guiding uniform. Perhaps my friends will have. We plan to have a class reunion sometime soon. Still remember the well starched deep blue skirt and top uniform. Around the campfire we sang fun songs like 'Ging Gang Goolie Goolie' and 'Shoo Fly!'
Like my fellow Girl Guides, we held our 3 fingered salute and recited our pledge as fervently as we could:
On My Honour I promise to do my best. To do my duty to God and the country. To help other people at all times. To obey the Guide laws.
And when the meeting ended, it was time to sing taps:
Day is done. Gone the sun. From the hills. From the sky. Safely rest. God is nigh.
Thinking back, there were so many ideals for me /us to embrace. I looked forward to singing taps for the simple message it conveys.
Anyone of you out there belonged to the Boy Scout/Girl Guide movement ? Or for that matter a uniform organisation like the Boys Brigade? Happy memories!
Nothing beats the camaraderie and mutual understanding that the Girl Guide instils in us. As I watched Adam and Sanjeeva going about their task, they were working well side by side each other. One corner of my garden had some litter and needed raking. They did just that . Soon there was a pile of dried brown leaves.
Adam and Sanjeeva are lower secondary boys from the Victoria Institution. And they belong to the Lion patrol. I asked them a few things about their patrol. This job week has an urgent need at hand. Whatever these boys and their fellow scouts collect will go towards building a new club house. Due to a short circuit, their old wooden club house burned down.
I remember washing cars, sweeping compounds and helping my godma to make kueh. That was my kind of job week. These boys are ready to make job week fruitful.
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I love seeing the young spirit in this post! Nowadays it gets harder to find nice gentlemen, like Adam and Sanjeeva. But I hope there will be many more of them. Have a great day, Sunshine :)
ReplyDeleteThey do always good jobs ;)
ReplyDeleteMy two girl where also with the Girl Guides,
a few years ago, They had always fun ^___^
Its always great if you help other people at all times, it gives you a good feeling :)
I intend to plant organic vege in my garden. If no one like Adam and Sanjeeva come along then I think I have to do it myself :(:(
ReplyDeleteRosidah - thank goodness for organisations like the the Boy Scouts etc. So much to embrace.
ReplyDeleteAnya - helping others makes us happy too.
Molly - i'm sure you'll enjoy starting your plot yourself tho the weather's a bit too hot now. Do it early in the morning to beat the heat.
Those youngsters look really motivated and happy with what they are doing. I admire this spirit.
ReplyDeleteI always wanted to join the scout. I just admire their uniforms and the activities that they do. :)
Great training right from young age. It inculcates so much of discipline. I am sure they will make good citizens of World.
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteMorinn
Thanks for following my blog. I always feel younger in the company of young ones!
Indrani, organisations like these need our support. Thanks for popping in.
Oh hurray! They still have job week for scouts! They had stopped it for some time because some parents expressed fears that some paedophile might harrass their big strapping teenage boys! Am glad it is still on. It teaches youngsters selflessness and community spirit (since the funds go back to the Scout Troop) and helps them develop a strong work ethic. I loved Job Week. We washed cars, cleaned drains, bathed dogs... and get this... cleaned melons! We went to a house where a lady and her husband cleaned melons with a kind of veggie polish and wrapped them for export to Taiwan. We cleaned melons for 20 sen each, when we were in Form 1. Oh, this post sure brings back memories! I am so glad you posted this! Thank you! Bravo to Adam and Sanjeeva!
ReplyDeleteHi there, Covert_Operations'78, good to know another girl guide/ scout. So there was some learning and earning in cleaning the melon! Great experience.
ReplyDeleteParents should support such organisations as character building finds its roots there.