Lessons from Sticks

Around a campfire one evening during our vespers observance I asked all the Scouts and leaders to bring a stick with them before they sat down. Once they were seated we gathered all the sticks into a bundle.

I held them as I stood before the fire. None of the sticks tried to jump out of the bundle, none of the other sticks tried to shove the others away, they all joined together without complaining. When there’s a job to be done we need to get at it without complaining. When we are together as Troop or Patrol everyone is important – no one is excluded.

I asked the SPL to select a stick and see if he could break it in two- he manged to do this very easily.

I then handed him the bundle and asked him to break all of the sticks at once- try as he could it was impossible. A single stick is easy to break, but a bundle of sticks can’t be broken. We are strong when we keep together. We can stand up to greater challenges and bear more difficulties as a Troop or Patrol than as individuals. The SPL then chose a stick and I asked him to bend it. Some sticks bend, some break.

Learning to adapt our skills in changing circumstances and tempering our strength with flexibility makes us valuable members of our Troop and Patrol. The bundle of sticks were then laid on the fire.

Warmth, support and encouragement come from working together – just as these sticks bring light, heat and cheer to the fire. Once the sticks are burning one is removed and laid apart on the ground. On our own the spark of intensity dims. We need the support and encouragement of our Troop and Patrol to maintain our enthusiasm.

S - S upporting each other S ustains our S pirit. T - T ogether we can T ake on any T ask I - I ntensity I ncreases when everyone is I ncluded C - C ombined C ourage C ombats C hallenges K - K eep flexible in changing circumstances S - S tay at it ! S tick together!