Scouts, Sand, Stars

Last night it was a lovely cool fall evening after a sunny, bright wonderful first day of October. We had a bonfire on the beach after a Boy Scout cook-out. It was cool, the boys did skits and songs around the campfire, which had everyone laughing.

The sky was dark and filled with stars. I'd gone back home to get a warmer coat and gloves, and joined the group later when it was after dark. A scout came to my rescue out of nowhere, with a flashlight, and walked me from the parking area to the gathering over a woodsy dark path which would have been next to impossible to follow without his help. Scouting has a good philosophical underpinning -- teaching boys to channel all their magnificent energy and curiousity into helpful and constructive efforts.

At the end of the evening, after my kid took his bath, the tub was dusted with beach sand, like a private little constellation of stars we'd brought home in our pockets. We all slept well.