My Chosen Community

Girl Scouting is a community. I am not only a leader of a Girl Scout troop but I am also a registered member of Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA). Girl Scouts/Scouting is a HUGE community with suburbs (our troops) that is growing by the day. Our community (both big and little) is held together by the belief in the Girl Scout Promise and our pledge to live by the Girl Scout law. In essence, all Girl Scouts have agreed to living a life to its fullest with much respect for ourselves and the world around us.

We all share the same idealisms when it comes to how we should be as people in our world, how our girls should grow up and we all treasure the sisterhood that is developed amoung fellow Girl Scouts. Another common interest shared by all of us is the desire to be strong, independent women and girls. By being part of this community it allows us the freedom to express ourselves in a safe environment and receive feedback from positive influences in our lives. I could spend all day identifying what needs are satisfied by being a part of this community but a few of them are happiness, a sense of belonging, acceptance and love.

Unfortunately, when dealing with such a large population (GSUSA) not every single person believes in things the same way. Religious beliefs influence perceptions as well as do cultural differences. Also, too many females trying to work together towards a common goal doesn't always work out as planned as sometimes hormones can have a heavy effect on progress.

As indicated previously, I am a leader of a Girl Scout Troop in Arlington. The girls in our troop are school aged between Kindergarten and Third grade. These girls look up to me and my other leader to guide them not only through the lessons to be taught by Girl Scouting but also to help them with life lessons in general. Through me, these children can learn how to be proud of their accomplishments, accept their failures and be gracious while doing both. Independence is something that is not only learned by watching but also learned by trying. We encourage our girls to believe in themselves and to step outside of the box when it comes to their own ways of thinking.

I was a Girl Scout when I was a little girl and have never ever forgotten the experiences I learned while scouting. Having my own daughters now, this is an amazing opportunity for me to share with them important life skills and lessons without it being a "because I'm the mom and thats how it goes" experience. I think that GSUSA is an amazing community to be part of based on its values and the underlying theme of building strong individuals through this program.