Wimachtendienk Wingolauchsik Wittahemaway

The above (title of this post) is purported to mean “Brotherhood of Cheerful Service” in the language of the Lenni Lenape, an indigenous Amerindian tribe. It is the "secret" name, or perhaps non-public name is more accurate, for the Order of the Arrow, an honor society of the Boy Scouts of America.

I am actually and truly proud of very few things that I have accomplished in my time on this Earth, but the fact that I earned the rank of Eagle Scout and attained Brotherhood membership in Scouting's Order of the Arrow are two of those things. I suppose that OA's "ordeal" has been watered down compared to what it was in my day, but still and even so, my claim to have been an exemplary young man largely hinges on those two accomplishments.

I may have done lots of honorable and perhaps even some remarkable stuff before I retired, but mostly it could be argued that a man of my talents could have done (should have done) much more-- perhaps even much, much more. To which I reply (within myself) that I was (I am) an Eagle Scout, an honor student, and a Brotherhood member in the Order of the Arrow.

I still have my sash.