I met a new friend yesterday. Her name is Mary Grace. She is a young Girl Scout. When she and her mother walked up to my house they noticed critter tracks in the snow outside the front door. Upon examination Mary Grace believes they were probably made by a raccoon.

"I love nature," Mary Grace said. We talked a little about wildlife we had seen in the area and how the building boom had uprooted many creatures from their habitat. I told her about the deer family who passed through our property during the clearing of the pasture land for the new housing development across the road from my house, and about the coyote that was on our patio one evening last summer. I forgot to tell them about the wild turkeys down where the road bends by the river. Mary Grace’s mother was as enthusiastic about discussing nature as was her daughter. Somehow, I suspect, they will discover those wild turkeys all by themselves.

We only spoke for a few moments so I don’t know if Mary Grace’s mother is involved in the leadership of her daughter’s troop. I hope so. She demonstrates some of the most important attributes of a Scouter. Her eyes and her heart are open to the world surrounding her and especially to the potential in the child in her care. And, as I watched her bend down to get a closer look at the raccoon tracks and point out something special about them, her enthusiasm and hands-on involvement lit up her daughter’s eyes and her imagination. 

Enjoy your Scouting, Mary Grace. It has a world of wonder and adventure waiting for you. If she isn’t involved already, bring Mom along. She will love it!