Scoutmaster Minute – April 2021

Leave a Trace
We spend quite a bit of time learning how to ‘Leave No Trace’ on our camping trips. We take extra care to ensure that we leave as little impact as possible and let others enjoy the unspoiled outdoors. However … you all know that no matter how hard we try, we do leave a trace – a footstep, some matted down grass, a broken twig, a crumpled leaf.
When camping, we concentrate on the ‘physical’ traces we leave behind. But, every day, we are leaving a trace of our presence. Everywhere we go, everyone we meet, and everything we do
leaves a trace that we were here. If you tell a little brother to shut up, that can leave an ugly trace that takes a long time to heal over. If you thank your mom for being a great mom, that will leave a good trace which also will last.
You may only interact with a stranger for a couple seconds or with your friends for a couple
hours, but no matter how long it is, you leave a trace of your presence all the time. It’s up to
you to whether you leave a trace that makes the world a better or worse place.
You may not think it makes much of a difference to give a cheerful ‘Hello’ to a kid at school, or a
courteous ‘Thank You’ to someone that serves you, or a helpful holding the door open for a
stranger, or a friendly smile to a small child in the mall – but it does!
So, no matter what you do, you WILL Leave a Trace. Do your best to make it a Good Trace.