SCRL   JA 1993

              "STOP AND SIT AWHILE"
Bob J. Jensen, member Southern California Research Lodge

Today's Masons, like today's society, are in such a hurry. We hurry to work -
hurry home to dinner - hurry to Lodge and hurry through meetings so we can get
out to refreshments and hurry home again. We don't even try to enjoy today as
we hurry from one thing to another. We don't try to enjoy our Brethren or
really enjoy our Masonry. Big city or small, we never really get to know each
other as well as we should. I know you are a Mason - a member of my Lodge -
I don't know you or your family, your background, your work or your problems.
Likewise you recognize me as a Brother, but how much do you really know about
me? If we really knew each other, we would both be better Masons and certainly
better friends. We would really care about each other. Today I ask, "How are
you?" and half listen as you often say "OK" instead of really telling me how you
are or about things that are bothering you and your family.

In the old days of small town Masonry, we moved at a slower pace. We often
walked to the store or work and when we passed a Brother's home we might see if
he was home and "stop and sit awhile." If I was planning to work on my home and
needed a ladder, I might stop by and borrow your ladder and usually you would
invite me to "stop and sit awhile." Your front porch or kitchen table would be
warm and hospitable. We would have a cup of coffee and we would visit. We
really knew each other and could understand each other and discuss our problems.
Somehow that makes the load lighter and the bond we share - our Brotherhood- is
stronger because of the time spent together. When I brought back the ladder, we
would again "stop and sit awhile." When you needed a tool, or a little advice,
you would come over and "sit awhile." We would talk about everyday things, work
problems or family matters. We probably would even try to solve the problems of
the world. We might not have gotten quite as much done in a day, and maybe we
never really solved the world's problems but we showed we were Brothers who
cared about each other and wanted to help each other in any way possible. If
you needed a hand, I would come over and again we probably would "stop and sit
awhile." Illness, family problems, or joys such as a new family member,
weddings, and birthdays would be discussed and we would share each others joys
as well as our sorrows.

Today we all have our own ladder. We don't borrow from each other. We don't
walk by each other's house as we often live miles apart and sometimes have no
idea where our Lodge Brothers live. We see each other at Lodge but again we
hurry off to talk to someone else, and hurry home without ever really visiting
with each other. We don't share those joys or sorrows and we don't know the
deep feelings each of us have. We don't know of illness until we read of the
funeral in the paper, and then we often find it easier not to attend the
service. We don't call on the widow because we really don't know her and if we
see her, it is a short offering of our sympathy and ask if we can do anything,
really hoping she won't ask our help so we can hurry away to watch television or
do something that won't remind us of how little we really knew our late Brother.

We listen at Lodge to speakers who tell us what is wrong with Masonry and what
needs to be done to improve it. Maybe we are looking in the wrong place.
Certainly small improvements can be made in any organization, but maybe the
large change has to be with us and with our relationship with our Brothers. If
we really knew each other and really listened to what our Brothers said and if
we encouraged them to open up to us and tell us what is on their mind, then
maybe, just maybe, we will be better Masons and Masonry will have that same
meaning for each of us today that it had for the members in the past.

Don't be afraid to "stop and sit awhile" and get Better acquainted with your
Brothers and their families and let them have a chance to know you better. It
is amazing what an interesting time you will have and how much better you will
feel about yourself, your Brother, your life and everything around you if you
will just "stop and sit awhile" with your Brother.
