Our society seems to be obsessed with awards. The entertainment industry gives out awards (to each other) in the form of the Oscar, the Golden Globe, the Emmy, the Tony (my favorite) and the Grammy. Business Awards for best salesman, employee of the month, etc. are also common. Some awards are for accomplishment, some are given for popularity (People's Choice Award). Some are given for Love - World's Best Mom (or Dad). The Masonic Fraternity also gives out awards. The York Rite has several and they are mostly given to deserving men who have given a lot to the fraternity. Sometimes, however it seems like they are given for popularity because the person giving the award likes someone and wants to honor them.
It was suggested that I add to the web sites a listing of those who have been given awards in Iowa York Rite. So that is why my blogging has been light today. I have been retyping a list of names and setting up a Blog list of the Awards. You can see it here or click on the new link in my sidebar. I have the thing 3/4 done. All I have to wait for is the Grand Commandery to send me theirs (and I hope they send it in an e-mail so I don't have to re-type it) and it will be done.
I put the T. S. Parvin Award there also. I have written about it before but I guess I am entitled because I actually thought it up. I read about Parvin and what he had done as a pioneer for Iowa Masonry and I wanted to honor him and also Iowa Masons who best exemplifies the spirit of Masonry which was lived by our distinguished Brother who said,
My friend Jerry Marsengill suggested (and I agreed) that the award be limited to those who had not been honored by having been a Grand Officer or holding Scottish Rite Honors. To me seeing it awarded is the best part of my Masonic year.
If you look you will find my name on that list once. I am a recipient of the General Grand Council Adult Leadership Award. I am proud of that award because it represents a lot of work that I did for the Order of the Rainbow for Girls as a Board Member, Chairman of Grand Assembly and of the Executive Board and the Rainbow Foundation and as a teacher. My mother always wanted me to receive that award. Unfortunately she died in January before it was given to me. However, even if I had not received it I would still be proud of the work I did. Even if no one else recognizes the accomplishment I know what I did and I did not do it in order to get an award. I did it because I loved doing it and it was a good thing to do.
Grand Lodge has several "awards" and for most of them they are of an "accomplishment" variety. If you do certain things you will get the award. In some ways I really prefer those awards. If they are given out fairly. That is not always the case, but I won't go there. My friend Kurt received his Ashlar Award and if you scroll down to last Saturday's post about our trip to Cedar Rapids or visit his blog you can see it.
I see a lot of people in the Blogosphere who give each other awards. If you get one you are supposed to pass it on to others. Not sure how I feel about that. Seems to me that there are some folks who get left out. I don't like being left out of things but I also don't want any awards. I do this thing for myself and I enjoy reading others blogs a lot. I try to let them know by putting comments on their posts. I enjoy getting comments on my blog. They are Award enough for me. If someone tells me (as Dallas did at lunch today) that they read my blog and always learn something here then I have Award enough. Thanks for stopping by - ARTYAL and do go take a look at the Iowa York Rite Honors Blogspot I think it is kind of neat. Hugs, J-bear
It was suggested that I add to the web sites a listing of those who have been given awards in Iowa York Rite. So that is why my blogging has been light today. I have been retyping a list of names and setting up a Blog list of the Awards. You can see it here or click on the new link in my sidebar. I have the thing 3/4 done. All I have to wait for is the Grand Commandery to send me theirs (and I hope they send it in an e-mail so I don't have to re-type it) and it will be done.
I put the T. S. Parvin Award there also. I have written about it before but I guess I am entitled because I actually thought it up. I read about Parvin and what he had done as a pioneer for Iowa Masonry and I wanted to honor him and also Iowa Masons who best exemplifies the spirit of Masonry which was lived by our distinguished Brother who said,
“I want to be remembered among Masons as one who gave the Fraternity the very best there was in him, not thinking of reward in dollars and cents.”
My friend Jerry Marsengill suggested (and I agreed) that the award be limited to those who had not been honored by having been a Grand Officer or holding Scottish Rite Honors. To me seeing it awarded is the best part of my Masonic year.
If you look you will find my name on that list once. I am a recipient of the General Grand Council Adult Leadership Award. I am proud of that award because it represents a lot of work that I did for the Order of the Rainbow for Girls as a Board Member, Chairman of Grand Assembly and of the Executive Board and the Rainbow Foundation and as a teacher. My mother always wanted me to receive that award. Unfortunately she died in January before it was given to me. However, even if I had not received it I would still be proud of the work I did. Even if no one else recognizes the accomplishment I know what I did and I did not do it in order to get an award. I did it because I loved doing it and it was a good thing to do.
Grand Lodge has several "awards" and for most of them they are of an "accomplishment" variety. If you do certain things you will get the award. In some ways I really prefer those awards. If they are given out fairly. That is not always the case, but I won't go there. My friend Kurt received his Ashlar Award and if you scroll down to last Saturday's post about our trip to Cedar Rapids or visit his blog you can see it.
I see a lot of people in the Blogosphere who give each other awards. If you get one you are supposed to pass it on to others. Not sure how I feel about that. Seems to me that there are some folks who get left out. I don't like being left out of things but I also don't want any awards. I do this thing for myself and I enjoy reading others blogs a lot. I try to let them know by putting comments on their posts. I enjoy getting comments on my blog. They are Award enough for me. If someone tells me (as Dallas did at lunch today) that they read my blog and always learn something here then I have Award enough. Thanks for stopping by - ARTYAL and do go take a look at the Iowa York Rite Honors Blogspot I think it is kind of neat. Hugs, J-bear
1 comment:
I love this post!
Honestly, I am so touched and honored when I get awards from other bloggers, which happens more often than it should.
Like you however, I something about the being left out thing that bothers me.
People give me awards and I almost never do anything with them. Is that bad?
I just get stuck and can't move with it!
The comments are what makes the difference to me. I read often but don't always have time to comment on every blog.
But how I love to read them all.
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