Fun

I was talking with a friend this morning about how much "fun" we used to have at Eastern Star meetings. The officers learned their parts and were proud to participate in the work. There were people joining and we actually had an entire set of pro tem officers in waiting just in case someone could not show up. We traveled around and sang songs and met people from all over the state.

After meetings many of us would sit through the eating part (OES stands for "Order of the Eating Sisters" after all) and then go to a restaurant for coffee and more conversation. We had fun. We enjoyed each other. We initiated 80 year old ladies into the Turtle Club. And we all laughed.

Somehow that has been lost, and it is sad. I recently had an e-mail conversation with someone and his comment which stuck with me was, "If it isn't fun, why do it?"

I have been thinking about that a lot. First of all what is fun. Is it "fun" to put someone down and pick on them? I used to tell my students, "You can't lift yourself up by putting others down." Is it really fun to make a person feel unliked or unwanted? I don't think so! Fun should make you feel good and I don't think that people who do those things really feel good about themselves.

Masonry should be "fun." A person should enjoy going there to be with friends and brothers and to interact with them and feel a part of the fellowship that is there which is not found anywhere else. It is sad when a Brother does not feel that way or is ignored at a meeting and no longer wants to come to the meeting. We had an officer meeting at Arcadia last week and one Brother asked what could we do to make it so that these Brothers (who belong and don't come) will want to attend our meetings. I guess my answer would be to have more "fun" (and that includes education) and fellowship at our meetings and make sure no one is ignored or made to feel less than he should.

For some people hiking and sports are "fun." Getting out and playing with others and enjoying the out of doors. That can be a lot of fun. I have fun going to plays and movies (although sometimes that is just escapism) and reading good books.

I had fun teaching. I felt I was accomplishing something good. When a student finished a project or wrote a good paper I felt good inside. It was "fun" and that is probably my definition of "fun." If it makes you feel good inside.

Fun is being with friends and people who like you and want you to be around. Fun is feeling that you belong. Fun is Masonry when it is "done right." Too often Ego gets in the way and it isn't fun any more.

Fun is playing with your pet. The greeting you get when you come home and your dog greets you. It is the look on a good friends face when they see you. Fun is having someone call you up to share good news. Fun is going out to eat with friends.

I have fun doing my blog and searching the Internets to read others blogs. Some people would not enjoy that but I do. There are a lot of things which contribute to my definition of fun. Just as there are probably things which will contribute to yours.

I think that possibly in my latter years I shall take the advice of my friend above. If I find something isn't fun anymore I shall probably stop doing it. Life is too short not to have "fun" and if someone doesn't like that they can go play in their own sandpile.

I was going to go have "fun" at DeMolay tonight but the boys have a football game. I guess they will have more fun there. I'll have to find something else "fun" to do. Hugs to all, j