Ritual

The word ritual reminds me of Pathfinders. I was in Pathfinder for somewhere around 6 years. At the beginning of every year we would have an induction service for the new Pathfinders, mostly 5th graders. This service consisted of turning off the lights in our church fellowship hall one evening and reading, by candlelight and flashlight, each of the statements of the Pathfinder Law and Pledge. Each time someone would read a phrase, they would light another candle representing that statement. Then all of the 5th graders would hold their own candles and stand up front, and they were then considered "inducted." The cultish nature of this ritual never escaped me and I always wondered what parents must think when their little child was joining this organization for the first time.

This memory of Pathfinders really got me thinking... Most of my childhood was shaped by Pathfinders. My friends were there, I learned all sorts of new things there, and I made lots of new friends that I still keep in touch with. I would imagine that I would be a different person if I had not spent so much time in Pathfinders. I think it left me changed in a good way. Things like Pathfinders help people overcome habits that most of the rest of their peers fall into. Having a fun substitute or replacement for things that might not be the best choices helps encourage people to do what's better for them. Rituals keep people doing things they are used to instead of starting new bad habits. Rituals can, to some extent, force people to slow down or pay attention to what is really important instead of just getting pushed along with the flow of society.