Monday, May 21, 2007

To Await the Time with Patience

Margaret Thatcher once said “I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.” I have been delayed from leaving the airport by 5 hours, so I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to update my Masonic blog. I was thinking about writing more about the Fellowcraft degree, but the anxious feelings and excitement about receiving the Masters Masons degree is what I really need to discuss.

For those that are keeping track, initially my mentor felt that he would be able to convince the Worshipful Master that they could confer the degree on the 15th, the WM came back and said that he didn’t feel comfortable and wanted to wait until the 22nd to make sure that all of the officers were duly and truly prepared before conferring the degree. The problem is that I am out of town this week and won’t be back until the 25th, so my degree must wait until the 29th. This will be the third time that my work has delayed my Masonic journey. It started when I went on Active duty which caused at least a month’s delay in my progression, I was getting ready to be examined and next thing you know I have to leave for two and a half weeks, come back have two weeks to recoup the lost information. Then it happened again when I was getting ready to examine for my Fellowcraft proficiency, then I went to Virginia for a week, which delayed things again for a week.

So here I sit in a horrible airport my flight doesn’t leave for another 3 hours and 50 minutes, again my degree conferment will be delayed, so I must wait the time with Patience.

If you asked my wife, I am a pretty impatient kind of guy particularly when it comes to something that I feel strongly about. I have tried to approach Masonry slow and steady, not to get frustrated too easily or to get to impatient. I think considering the large task in front of me, I have done quit well. With the Supreme Architect of the Universes blessing I will hopefully continue down the path of patience and level headiness.

Hopefully, baring any future disaster, I will be receiving my MM degree on the 29th, I almost don’t want to write it out, and for fear that it won’t come to be true.

4 comments:

Horseshoes and Handgrenades said...

I'm going to be Raised less than a week before you, but I already have some thoughts about what happens after. I know that we are both looking forward to being Master Masons, but really this is just the start of Masonry for us when you think about it.

I guess that my real concern is being so excited about reaching the Master Mason level and then not having another level to be looking forward to in the Blue Lodge.

Mind you, I already know that I will have some parts to learn for upcoming degrees in the fall...

Anonymous said...

Further on the H&H comment...the way I look at it, when you receive your MM, you are just beginning your real journey. I was raised in Feb and feel like I have so much work ahead of me. What I really enjoy is finally being able to contribute to the betterment of our Craft.

Good luck to both of you. Once you get there, you'll realize it was worth the wait. Mine was done on a PM night, with the Grand Master of the State filling the Senior Deacon role. It was probably some of the best degree work I'll ever see, and it happened to be at my raising. I hope your experiences will be as memorable as mine.

Jim said...

If I've learned nothing else from Freemasonry so far, it's that patience is a virtue. Because of some unfortunate timing, it has been over 2 months since I submitted my petition to the lodge, and I still wait. But the good news is that my Mason friend from church hinted that the lodge will conduct my initiation at the next meeting on June 5th. So, I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I've moved past heavy anticipation stage, and into a learning mode. I've been reading and learning all I can from books and online blogs, and have found it to me very enjoyable and gratifying. I'm amazed by the history, and the symbols and stories are fascinating and very thought provoking. Something tells me that I'm probably spending more time learning about Masonic history than many, but I could be wrong.

So that said, though I'm not yet even an Entered Apprentice, I can say that I know that patience will pay off in the end....

Widow's Son said...

Good luck to all of you on your entry into Freemasonry. I wish you the best. May you find the Light you're looking for.

Widow's Son
BurningTaper.com