Boy Scout Troop Therapy
by William Van Ornum, Ph.D. on
While riding the Lake Shore Limited–Ensconced in a small sleeping room, surrounded by a bag or two of books–I am sometimes reminded of Paul Theroux and his captivating books on Riding the Orient Express or going coast to coast on a train in Canada.
In today’s New York Times, Theroux reflects on the Boy Scouts of America and their impact on his life. I will cite just a few passages, and hope you will read the entire article.
“Some pizza deliverymen are safe drivers,” writes Theroux, and though it seems incredible given the recent news to the contrary, some clergymen are pious, some politicians monogamous and some car dealers honest. There are ethical Boy Scout masters, too. Yet nothing is so satisfying to the lazy mind as news that reinforces a negative stereotype.”
Theroux is as astute a critic and man of the world that one will ever meet, and he notes “the summer beach and the wooded path were as formative as making me a writer as the public library.”
Follow the link above and read the entire article. Like me, you may be delighted to read his account.
If you wish to learn more abut the Boy Scouts, as well as their accomplishments over the past decade in creating a safe atmosphere for kids, see their website:
I still cherish my Order of the Arrow sash.
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