1- “Service” is not a complicated word nor hard to spell. To serve others. To render aid to someone else. To help or benefit or contribute to others. The etymology of the word dates back to Roman times. It started off in Latin as “servitium” meaning slavery or servitude.
Circa 1200 the meaning shifted or grew to mean “the act of serving by an attendant.” Circa 1300 it morphed into a “food provision or sequence of dishes in a meal.” By 1500 the meaning shifted to “furniture of the table.” Think tea service.
Back to 1300 a different meaning paralleled from the above. To be of service to royalty which grew into meaning military service. For most of the 20th century, there were “service stations” meaning a place where you get gas & diesel for your car or truck.
“What you might see now as ordinary glass, I promise you, will soon remain to see a diamond” quoted Srinivasa Ramanujan.
As Scouts in service to others, we become a diamond.
2- Another meaningful quote about service: “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” Muhammad Ali.
Service to others. Service to the tribe. Service to the community. Service to the country. Service to the world.
Maya Angelou said it this way: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Service to others should never be a chore. Smile that you are able to help others.
3- Another tidbit about EDGE. When you are in teacher or instructor mode using EDGE; who are you thinking about? Take a quick moment and look hard into the mirror to see the answer. Are you trying to get the “box” checked off? Are you thinking about your presentation – like how you will look to the class? Are you trying to impress someone? Are you thinking about your students? Are you in service to your students?
A: Ever wonder why your nose is not 12 inches long?
B: If it was, then it would be a foot.
4- Ever try a new dish out somewhere? And LOVED it! Now the challenge is to try making that dish at home. Something that I learned is how to make something sweet out of something else – like onions. That is called “caramelization.” Technically this process is the oxidation of sugars found in starches and fruits. So the next time you have some French Onion Soup; think about the onions that taste sweet and the soup has a light brown, caramel, color. Yummy.
Yours In Service,
Gaither
PS: Etymology means: the history of a word by tracing the word’s use, meaning, and transmission from its origin from one language to another.