Take me back to a place where I belong

On my honor, I will try to serve God, my country and mankind and to live by the Girl Scout law.

Any of you that were ever a Girl Scout can probably recite that pledge by heart. I was a Scout for 12 years. To many of you that may make me the biggest nerd you know. And you may be right. In fact, I know you are right.

I think I initially became a Girl Scout because everyone in my first grade class was and at six years old, that uniform looked kinda keen: cute little felt brown hat, ever-so-short jumper and those cool knee socks. I was obsessed with earning badges. I sold cookies with zeal and determination. I visited historial sites, camped along lake shores, sang songs around campfires, and did all things Scout-esque.

Little girls grow up and their interests change just as their bodies do. However, long after the brown and green uniforms lost their luster and appeal, I stuck with it. What kept me a Scout was a sense of belonging. Scouting, unlike my other fleeting interests and fads, grew and changed with me, expanding as my world expanded.

At some point, I began to realize how seemingly uncool it was to be a Girl Scout and I still remember how disappointed in myself I was when I started keeping it a bit of a secret. However, I remained a member of the troop until my graduation, still attending our regular meetings, participating in our activities. Why? I think it was because I knew it was where I belonged. I knew it was part of me and I was part of it.

It may have started out an an attraction to snazzy attire, but it ended up being something that sustained me. Scouting may have been all about the badges and cookies in the beginning, but it grew as I grew, changed as I changed. It instilled in me the love of camping. It taught me how to get along with other women. It also reminded me that a girl can do anything: she just has to want it bad enough. Girl Scouts don't acknowledge glass ceilings or gender roles, they nourish the creative, innovative, bold women that we were to become.

I had honestly not thought about my Scouting experiences for some time. However, I was immediately taken back when I received the poster above, a gift sent from afar from my middle brother. Isn't it ever so cool and vintage. What amazed me most is that he remembered my connection with Scouting even though I had long seemingly forgotten about it.

It was a thoughtful and charming gift. It took me back to where I belonged.