Becoming Better

On my journey to become a better person which entails becoming for me a better follower of Jesus, a better friend, a better brother, a better son, a better volunteer for Kiwanis which is focused on bettering the lives of children, a better volunteer for over 35 United Methodist Churches across the globe, a better volunteer assisting students learning to read or read well, a better volunteer in helping students overseas learn what is wonderful about America and its values and especially about the generosity of the average American, and in becoming a better citizen through carefully listening to all points of view unfiltered and un afraid, trying to put into practice not only the Boy Scout motto in our broken society. Through my efforts, our community newspapers started newspaper charities which have raised over $35,000,000; through my efforts Newspapers in Education was born, through my efforts, an elderly woman who had fallen and laid alone in her apartment for a week unable to get help is alive and safe, through my efforts a young Hispanic woman did not get pregnant like her 3 sisters before marriage and obtained a college degree after learning to read well from me. Through scouting and Medical Explorers I learned skills that have helped me become better. And now I trust the current leaders of Scouts BSA with my son Stephen aged 13 to help mold him to become better too. And guess what? It is working because after a pause to try to become the next soccer super star, he has renewed his love of scouting and the outdoors away from electronic devices, participating in safe face to face activities.

Submitted by: Stephen Raynor of Richardson Texas