My Son the Eagle

My son is now and Eagle Scout. He met all the requirements and passed his board of review. I am VERY proud of him. He is a wonderful young man.
He is also a writer and wrote this essay about becoming and Eagle Scout. Enjoy!

Eagle’s Wings
By: J


Is the rank of Eagle Scout worth attaining? To receive this rank a Boy Scout must learn and go through many things. He must camp out, cook and swim. He will learn how to how to use a knife, ax, and saw safely. He will learn how to start fires, read maps, and use a compass. He will learn how to tie knots, administer first aid, and be a leader.
All these things are just some of what a scout learns as he passes through the ranks of Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, and Life. To earn Star, Life and Eagle, a scout must earn twelve required merit badges, as well as nine elective merit badges. The merit badges differ in subject from theater and cinematography, to communications and family life.
Once a scout has obtained these twenty-one merit badges, as well as the rank of Life Scout, he must plan and carry out a service project. The scout will plan a project that benefits the community, such as installing a library at a school, or restoring a community basketball court, and after the scout obtains approval for his project, he collects donations for the items needed to complete it. He then plans workdays and carries out his project. Once completed, he must pass his Eagle board of review. If the scout if deemed worthy of the rank, he has the honor of becoming an Eagle Scout.
It is a noble quest, filled with hardships and dangers, fun and excitement, truth and wisdom. Not only does the scout learn valuable life skills, he also makes many friends who become his lifelong companions. He garners wisdom by striving to live by the Scout Oath and Law, which exemplify the character of Christ. The scout turns from a rowdy, rambunctious, raucous little kid, into an experienced, talented, capable young man who is ready and willing to lead. He has started on the quest and gone from a Page to Knight in the process.
Many believe that becoming an Eagle Scout that is not worth the effort. The scout will reach the rank of Life and stop there, finding no special significance in reaching for the final rank. To him it is just one more step up–nothing special. He started this journey like a vocalist who sings a song without comprehending the words. Like a dancer without passion, he joined a scout troop and went through the motions of scouting. However, unlike the few that attain the rank of Eagle Scout, he failed to realize that the rank is not just an achievement it is an honor.
Only four percent of scouts that set out on the quest to attain the rank of Eagle Scout stick it out and reach their destination. Many pluck up the courage to start, some battle through towards the end, but few emerge triumphant, as an Eagle Scout.
I have traveled the well-trodden path; I have fought the battle; I have crossed the expanse that separates the Eagles from the eaglets. I am an Eagle Scout. It is an honor worth fighting for.