Brethren, as you are surely aware Grand Lodge will begin Thursday with the exemplification of the three degrees. As you are also aware, the news is filled with reports of the Covid-19 variant of the Coronavirus. This communicable disease has not yet been reported to be in Mississippi, but we must be aware that it is real and could appear at any time.

In an effort to control any possible spread within our Masonic family, the Grand Lodge of Mississippi and the Emergency Response Committee appointed by Most Worshipful Grand Master Jason Jefcoat has a few recommendations for the session this week.

1. Wash your hands. The Centers for Disease Control recommends washing with soap and water for 20 seconds or more. This has been found to be more effective than the use of hand sanitizer. However,
   for those times when hand washing isn’t possible, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
2. Avoid people who are sick.
3. If you are sick, please stay home or at least stay away from other people. Keep in mind that many of our Brothers and our Eastern Star Sisters are older and not in good health. Let’s try to protect them
   when we can.
4. We understand that asking for no hugs or handshakes is a losing proposition, but try to do these things in moderation. Remember, every time you shake hands with someone you are contacting the germs of every hand that person has gripped. Fist bumps or even a friendly hello are generally acceptable.
   
   Practicing these simple things can help control not only the new Corona Virus but seasonal influenza and the common cold, so let’s all do these things and make the 2020 Communication of the Grand Lodge a healthy and enjoyable time for all.

We look forward to a great Grand Lodge session,
The Emergency Response Committee

As I mention in the video above, I need your help in spreading the word about BeAFreemason.org by sharing it on all your social media pages and mentioning the site to your friends and acquaintances who may be interested in becoming Masons. 

The new website will serve as a guide for men who are interested in becoming Masons and act as a referral service matching interested men with the Grand Lodge in their area.

Below you will find a link to BeAFreemason.org which I encourage you to explore.  I would consider it a personal favor if you’d take a moment right now and mention that page on your own social media pages to help me spread the word about BeAFreemason.org.

Thanks for all you do for the Scottish Rite, and for the Craft. 

Fraternally,

Click here to learn more about how to become a Freemason in Mississippi

I will summarize the entirety of the following discourse in this manner: Let’s start matching our theory on unity with our daily practice of Freemasonry.

In our Judeo-Christian belief system, it is written by the Psalmist, “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity.” KJV, Psalm 133. We recite this in our adopted Grand Lodge of Mississippi ritual in the beginning of every Mason’s journey to more Light.  We use these sacred words to frame our personal experience from the onset that we all make as Freemasons in our initiatory degree, Entered Apprentice.

In another important Bible verse it is written, “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.”. KJV, 1 Corinthians 12:4-6. Thus, it appears that there were different gifts given men for different purposes. But all emanated from the same Source.

In our Masonic traditions there were different roles of the gathered workmen necessary for the building of King Solomon’s Temple, “..three Grandmasters, three thousand and three hundred Master Masons…eighty thousand Fellowcrafts, and seventy thousand Entered Apprentices….All these were classed and arranged in such manner…that neither envy, discord nor confusion, was suffered to interrupt or disturb the peace and good fellowship…” Every man present had a purpose, and all worked in unity to build such a magnificent edifice-A temple built to honor our one True and Living God.

As we are taught, the working tools of a Master Mason are, “…all of the instruments of Masonry indiscriminately, more especially the Trowel…spreading the cement of Brotherly Love and affection, that cement which unites us into one sacred band or society of friends and brothers, among whom no contention should ever exist but that noble contention, or rather emulation, of who can best work and best agree.” Recently I was in a class where there were excellent examples given of the purposes for each class: one focusing on the “I” factor of self-improvement, in another class the focus is on how to work better with “them” as a source of group self-improvement. In that specific class, the observation was made that collectively more gets more done by incorporating the word, “We” into the mix and if we did not do so, then soon it would become everyone doing their own thing. The use of “We” factor makes us all stronger. The “We” is us in unity, a band of Brothers.

Now the above are our theories, but what of our daily practices?

The beauty of a single rose vs the beauty of a flower garden could possibly be the source of a friction between avid flower lovers. The beauty of a wildflower vs that of an award-winning planted or grafted rose is in the eye of the beholder, as beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. However, in the eyes of the Creator of both they are equal, as HE created them both.

One sage writer offers, “The flowers of the earth do not grudge at one another, though one be more beautiful and fuller of virtue than another, but they stand humbly, kindly, one by another, and enjoy one another’s virtue; so we all please the Creator, if we give up ourselves into the Creator’s will; if we all stand humbly in the field.” Jacob Boehme (1575-1624)

In our great Fraternity there are many reasons that good men come and join us, some prefer the fellowship, some the philosophy, to others the administration of a Lodge. Others want to practice philanthropy, charity and good works in the local community, while others to want to express their Brotherly Love and Relief primarily in their local Lodge. Some want to work on themselves alone to be a better man, father, husband, still others want to work on developing good Masons through education. Others desire excellence in our Masonic rituals. We have something for everyone!

Now more than ever we need to demonstrate that we have something in our grasp, Freemasonry, that the world needs and wants. This being our ancient system of philosophy that good men, tried and true, can demonstrate to the world what Freemasonry can and will bring to a single good man, a single Lodge, a single community.

To me, the greatest preamble of a written document ever conceived by man were these words, “We, the People…” The idea behind this masterpiece was signed by men of great intestinal fortitude and foresight, this guiding document-our Declaration of Independence-was greatly instrumental in making these United States the greatest force for good the world has ever seen. Yet we are seeing more divisiveness and polarization in our daily lives than ever before in our over two-hundred forty-year history. At the time of the Constitution signing, a statement is attributed as being made by our Masonic Brother, Benjamin Franklin, “We must hang together, or surely we will hang separately” Truer words have not been written as evidenced by our descent into division and lack of unity by our Countrymen.

I offer the following quote from Brother Robert G. Davis 33⁰ the closing line from an online blog post from August 2018, “It seems like such a worthy mission—to stand on what we stand for.” https://robertgdavis.net/may-brotherly-love-prevail/  What a novel idea, is it not? For a country and for a man.

We close our Masonic Lodges using this passage from Brother William Preston’s Illustrations of Masonry (1772), “May Brotherly Love prevail, and every Moral and Social Virtue cement us.” May this be our prayerful take-a-way from this humble offering.

I now repeat my earlier summary of this discourse as in the opening paragraph: Let’s match our theory on unity with our daily practice of Freemasonry: Let’s practice unity.

In a closing quote, “There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, it doesn’t behoove any of us to speak evil of the rest of us.” Edward Wallis Hoch (1849-1925)

Fiat Lux

Respectfully submitted,
Terry McLeod, FMR, Worshipful Master
MS Lodge of Research DCXL (2020)

Grand Lodge of Mississippi Education Committee, Member

I’ve had the honor of sitting through many officer installations: first, as a supporter; next as an elected officer; and later as an installing officer.  I’ve been to installations for blue lodges and appendant bodies.  Like many brethren, repetition taxes my attention span.  Yet, I always try to pull something new away from a degree or lodge activity, and tonight was no different. 

To me, Lodge rituals are, in a way, a living communication, much like the bible and United States Constitution.  Many people argue that the Constitution is not a living document, but a black and white unchanging law.  Others suggest it is living and adaptive.  Both, brethren, can be true. But, how can an authority be both unchanging and adaptive? It’s living in the sense that it means different things to different people at different times.  Sometimes, it may mean different things to the same person at different times.  This can be true without offending intrinsic worth or validity.  Those that are committed students of the bible witness the living nature of scripture and how certain passages can lead and minister in one direction during certain life stages or events and inspire in an entirely different direction later in one’s life.  Yet, the scripture remains inerrant and unchanging.  I believe our ritual should be applied in the same fashion and with the same effort at personal examination.  And as Albert Pike instructed, no interpretation is, necessarily, incorrect because ritual is for the individual. 

During the installation tonight, I heard a passage that did not strike me with a new meaning but with a new level of importance, which I had not fully appreciated previously.  The passage is as follows, as found in your blue lodge textbook:

“If the labors of Freemasonry were confined to the Lodge Room, and its influences did not extend beyond its confines; if it had no mission to perform in this world, except the perpetuation of itself by the mere making of Masons…then, indeed, might it be truthfully said to have outlived its usefulness, and the solemn ceremonies which invite our presence for this occasion a mere waste of time, which could be better employed.”

This section of the text is preceded by a description of the very times we are living, among the Millennials.  Yes, indeed!  The text states, “in this utilitarian age, when men no longer have time for the sentimental, and everything which is not practical is swept aside in the mad race for wealth and reputation, place and power, the question ever intrudes itself: of what use is it?”

Many good and valuable points have been raised here on social media and in Lodge discussions around coffee as solutions to our numbers problem.  I agree, Masonry is too cheap. I agree, we need to hold ourselves to higher standards than the community at large. But what is the gravamen? I believe the answer is within the question posed many many years ago, above, and the ensuing answer. Masonic scholars across the globe have researched the numbers issue by talking in-depth with Millennials, and the answer is how they answer that very question.  When Millennials, in this utilitarian age, are asked “what use is making new masons to me,” they answer, “very little.”  So they go NPD.

We see this over and over, yet very few are taking the initiative to change it.  But, we do know the answer, and it is there in our ritual for installation.  There’s nothing esoteric about it.  If the “labors of Freemasonry” are confined to the making of new masons (the “perpetuation of itself”) it has “outlived its usefulness.” Lodges that are engaged in only the business of degrees will close. Period.  That is the lesson, recorded in each of our textbooks many years ago, and it is still a living truth. 

Many of our Lodges are engaged in community outreach, philanthropy, parades, etc.  Many Lodges are engaged in turning new Masons into true Brothers. Those are the Lodges that are thriving.  If your Lodge’s business is confined to the four corners of the building, please heed the warning within the text and make an effort this year to extend its reach.  Our Grand Secretary recently pointed out that the numbers are beginning to favor stability and a leveling off, and I think it is due in part to appreciation of this concept.  This is to be celebrated.

I am personally excited about 2020 and the new opportunity it brings. I have joined with several brethren from outside my home Lodge to try something new that embraces this very principal.  We’re dedicated to both furthering ourselves so that Masonry “enter[s] into [our] daily life and conduct” through education and to place Masonry into public view.  I’m proud of what these Brothers have already accomplished, and I look forward to great things in the coming years.  We all have new officers, a new year, and a new decade.  As I looked at pictures hung in our Lodge tonight, I saw softball teams our Lodge sponsored 15 years ago.  With all this newness, perhaps try something new, and return to the activities of old by spreading Masonry beyond the North, South, East and West walls of the Lodge.  

R. Lane Dossett, Esq. 
Grand Lodge Law and Jurisprudence Committee 

In our Masonic education we are instructed to use our time wisely, using the twenty-four-inch gauge as a practical tool, “…it being divided into twenty-four equal parts…” For me personally, this is the most difficult working tool I have had to attempt to learn to use properly-in fact, it is giving me issues as I write these simple thoughts. I will admit, that following that simple theory, it is hard work attempting to divide my time correctly as a strictly practical matter. In fact, I am actively working on making it a habit. More on that shortly. 

In addition to the working tools, we are taught to practice Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. Speaking of love freely is not easy for most men. Unless it is Valentine’s Day and primarily then because we want to stay in good with our Ladies, wives and the mothers of our children, should we be so blessed of God to have a good one. (Pro-Tip-Order flowers for her today and do not wait till February 14^th –they are less expensive, and it will surprise her even more! You can thank me later.)

Recently our Most Worshipful Grandmaster Jason Jefcoat, delivered a great presentation as a member of the Mississippi Lodge of Research DCXL, on the two Patron Saints of Freemasonry: Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist. It inspired me to read again the stories of these two men and their pursuits. I focused on one, St John the Evangelist. He wrote one passage that particularly resonated with me: he being the writer known as the one who Jesus loved (John 13:23)-KJV). “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13: 34-35, KJV In yet another, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:8, KJV

Our patron Saint John the Evangelist appears to focus on our needs as men, those professing to desire to follow Jesus in his teachings and writings, to display our love for our fellow men and brother Masons in a more meaningful manner. This in stark contrast to Saint John the Baptist, who spoke most often that he came to prepare the way for Jesus Christ before his Ministry begins and that there was a need for men to change their ways. On the other hand, St. John the Evangelist, after having listened to the teaching of Jesus and following him closely, appears to focus his talking points in some manner, in fact, repeat over and over the need for us to love each other. Sort of like the admonition for us to practice Brotherly Love in Freemasonry. 

So how do we learn to do so? I offer the following quote from Francis de Sale (1567-1622) by way of suggestion: “You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; in just the same way, you learn to love by loving.”  It appears that we have an opportunity to work on creating a practice or a habit. Just as Michal Jordan habitually practiced shooting basketballs for hours on end, as Wayne Gretsky practiced habitually hitting hockey pucks or Nolan Ryan throwing strikes in baseball. Or Jack Nicholas hitting golf balls. Practice. Practice. Practice. Until the practice becomes a habit that we do without thought. 

Similarly, Brotherly Love grows by practice; there is no other way. As we have seen, it is not hard to develop bad habits, the ones we should try to break or rid ourselves of, we pick them up very quickly it appears. According to some scientific information available, it takes on average, 66 days to develop a habit (practice), be it a good habit or a bad one. On the other hand, we can use our ability to pick up good habits just as easily as bad ones. As a point of consideration, Charles “Chuck” Noble (1916-2003), a former American Major General, is quoted as having stated, “First, we create our habits, then our habits create us.”  Thus, there is good news on developing new habits, or practices. Stated another way, we can stop talking about the THEORY of Brotherly Love and instead focus our efforts and our limited time on developing the PRACTICE of Brotherly Love. And there is one consolation to picking up certain habits, like the habit of loving our Masonic Brothers and the whole of humanity, and saying and displaying it, we do not have to wait until we are perfect to do so. Even with the slightest progress, everyone benefits – not only those we live or associate with, but ourselves as well.

Perhaps we would be better served to start exploring ways to display our Brotherly Love in more meaningful ways. Interestingly, St. John, does not recount the following story, as contained in the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment and in all versions instances, paraphrasing here; “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all they heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Perhaps we would be better off to use some of our limited time to develop the habit or practice of loving our brothers and our neighbors. By word, action and deed. One anonymous source stated, “There is no greater religion than love. God is love; and the best form of love is to be conscientious regarding the feelings of those with whom we come in contact in everyday life.” 

In a related manner, my wife asked me to watch a television movie with her last night and I attempted to beg out of it, you know, due to the time it was going to take, but something told me to take the time to do so. And it was a very profitable investment of my time as there was a very moving homily at the end of that movie. The actor, a priest, was speaking to his congregation and expounded, “The humanity of Jesus, not his divinity is where I can most easily relate to Him. Do I want to speak of the Miracle of our Lord’s Divine Transformation? Not really, no. I don’t want to talk about his Divinity. I’d rather talk about his humanity. I mean, you know. How He lived his life here on Earth. His kindness. His tolerance. Listen, here’s what I think. I think we can’t go around measuring our goodness by what we don’t do. By what we deny ourselves, what we resist, and who we exclude. I think we’ve got to measure goodness by what we embrace, what we create…and who we include.” Now admittedly this was a television movie sermon, but this was a very powerful sermon—not a real sermon. But one that contained thoughts that were most certainly true, at least to me. In fact, I now have it saved in my personal library and am now sharing it with you in this discourse. 

Remember, I said at the onset, right there in the first paragraph, “More on that shortly.” Well, this is one way I have of telling as many of my Brothers as I can in very limited time that, I Love You and Appreciate You! And this is a habit or practice that I am actively trying to cultivate in my personal daily habits and activities. Just simply to tell others that I love them and work to display it. And now you know one of my New Year’s resolutions! With the Lord’s strength, guidance and assistance. And with some help from each of you, it is my desire to both keep and practice it: Daily. 

In closing, I offer a final quote from John Dryden, English poet (1631-1700), “Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you don’t let other people spend it for you.” 

This is being respectfully offered as an opportunity to move us forward from the bad habit of having a theory without a current practice. After all, we can all afford the time to practice, particularly if we develop it into a good habit. As the Nike slogan states, JUST DO IT! Now granted, we all already have habits we have learned, be they good or bad. I am only suggesting only that we work together to start practicing Freemasonry regularly–on a daily basis. You know, make it a habit. Every. Single. Day. And not just once a month at a stated business meeting. Just as playing baseball, hockey, baseball or golf once a month won’t make you a good player—doing Masonry once a month will not make you a good Mason.

Fiat Lux

Terry McLeod, WM,
Mississippi Lodge of Research DCXL

With another decade now in front of us, I would like to share a few thoughts shared with me in another venue: a few thoughts offered that can perhaps, keep us all focused and inspired in our journey–to more “Light in Masonry” in the coming days, months and years.

The first is Proceed with Courage. The following passage comes from noted author Mary Anne Radmacher, who writes: “Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.'”

Remember, we as men and Masons do not have to be better than anyone else–only ourselves. And as we have only to work and improve ourselves daily, we can do this by seeking our God and asking for him to provide us with the wisdom, strength, and most of all courage to fight and persevere another day.

The next is Be Persistent. This from Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States: “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

President Coolidge was not a Freemason, but addressing the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, while Governor of that State he had this to say, “It has not been my fortune to know much of Freemasonry, but I have had the great fortune to know many Freemasons, and I have been able in that way to judge the tree by its fruits. I know of your high ideals. I have seen that you hold your meetings in the presence of the open Bible, and I know that men who observe that formality have high sentiments of citizenship, of worth and of character. That is the strength of our commonwealth and nation.

Next, is Demonstrate Grace. In this sense, grace can be defined as “courteous good will,” and speaks to humility, gratitude and an inclusive embrace.

The world around us can be both beautiful and, at times, terrifying. We alone can’t solve its problems; we can only do what we can do. We can create the destiny we want for ourselves and for this wonderful Institution that is capable of doing so much good for our us, our family, our state, and our country and its

people–indeed for humanity itself if we but only apply the principles we have been instructed of as being the core principle of our beloved Fraternity: Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. Many years ago, I was taught that nine simple words on this topic would suffice, “All You Can Do Is All You Can Do.”

Lastly, Practice Civility. In today’s current atmosphere this at times appears to be a strange and dying concept. Simply defined it is “…politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech.” Our Brother Mason, George Washington, provides an excellent primer on the topic in his, Rules of Civility of Decent Behavior. In a more current take on the topic, journalist and author Steven Petrow, notes that stifling other’s comments, rudeness, the censuring of free speech and political correctness are not normal behaviors in a well-balanced and functioning society. In a healthy community, respect for others is tantamount. We need to de-escalate and better monitor our words, actions and deeds and return to a rule of common courtesy. One can only question, what is the magnitude of good we forego when we stop being civil—at what cost to us as individuals and as a civil society? For our own good, it would appear that we would be well served to attempt to be a little kinder and gentler with our fellow men and Masons.

Courage. Persistence. Grace. Civility. These four attitudes of mind will serve us well as we head into a new decade, on our journey toward more Light in Masonry. In closing, we quote Mary Anne Radmacher again. “As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.”

Fiat Lux

Submitted respectfully,
Terry McLeod
WM of the Mississippi Lodge of Research DCXL

In our degrees we are taught that it is the internal qualifications of a man, not the external,  that make him qualified to be a Mason. 

What does this mean?

Does it mean that it doesn’t matter what Masons wear to Lodge? When I hear the words “internal, not external” it’s usually in the context of objections to a dress code for lodge meetings.  Somehow, I didn’t think the original meaning of those words had anything to do with flip flops and tee shirts versus a suit and tie.  I looked for an answer.   Instead of suits  or overalls, the external refers to things someone can observe about a candidate for Freemasonry.

Mackey divides the external qualifications of a candidate into five types.

The Moral.  The candidate observes the precepts of moral law and leads a virtuous life.
The Religious.  The candidate must express a belief in God.
The Physical. The candidate must be a man of lawful age.
The Mental.  A man must have the mental capacity to understand what Freemasonry is and to undertake the responsibilities of being a Mason.
The Political.  A man must be free born, in other words, a man who was not born a slave.  In the US, this hasn’t been a consideration for more than a hundred years.

These external qualifications, while necessary to be a Mason, really don’t describe the things that truly qualify a man to be a Mason.  Instead, we must look deeper, to the internal qualifications.

What about the internal?  Again, according to Mackey these are things we can only assume based on what a candidate tells us; others can’t just look at a man and know the truth of the matter. These all play into why a man chooses to become a Mason.

Mackey lists four internal qualifications for a man to be a Mason.

Free will and accord:  He is applying because he wants to, not because he is being forced to do so.
Mercenary motives:  He is not applying because he expects some sort of financial gain.
Favorable opinion:   He is applying because he believes being a Mason is something good and special.
And lastly, that he is willing to follow the traditions and customs of Freemasonry.

Nowhere do I see anything about how a man looks or dresses on Dr. Mackey’s lists.

It’s obvious our Ancient Brothers were thinking that a man’s character is much more important than how he looks, who his parents were, or what his most recent bank balance might be. Mackey doesn’t list any of these as  qualifications to be a Mason.  I guess you could say that what is important to People Magazine, the superficial,  isn’t  what should be important to Freemasonry.

In short, the external are the qualities the world can see that show that a man is a lawful candidate for Freemasonry-not necessarily a good man or a good Mason, but the minimum standards for a candidate to become a Mason.  The internal refers to the things that only the man in question can know and say. 

So what are some of the internal qualifications, the things that should matter? I don’t know that there’s an official list. I also don’t know how to read minds to determine thoughts. Here’s a list of some of the things I believe are important qualities for a Mason.

He  meets his commitments.
He admits his mistakes.
He avoids unnecessary conflict in his personal and private affairs. 
He is kind and considerate toward others.
He takes a stand on things that are important. 
He willingly protects those who cannot protect themselves. 
He holds himself to higher standards than he sets for others. 
He avoids gossiping.
He  stays silent when telling the truth would cause unnecessary hurt to someone else, yet doesn’t hesitate to tell the truth, even to his own detriment,  when standing silent will cause harm to another.
He gives credit where credit is due.
He accepts blame and declines credit for the actions of those under his supervision.
He can disagree without being disagreeable.
He accepts that others can have opinions that differ from his and still be good people.
He recognizes his own shortcomings and tries to correct them.
He judges others based on their internal qualities, not by how they look.
He tries to be a little better each day than he was the day before.

I’ll readily admit I don’t always meet the standards in my list. Each day I try to be a little better, but some days, probably most days, I fall short.   But that doesn’t mean that I should  stop trying.

I left out  the most important quality of a Mason, so let’s add it to the list.

He looks at the internal qualifications of a man, not the external, when he chooses his friends and Brothers.

Ricky Stevens
Ebenezer Lodge #76
Senatobia, MS

I post a lot of things to Facebook.  I post music, political commentary, observations about life in general, and things about the world that strike me as odd or entertaining. On occasion I post to Facebook pages including the Grand Lodge of Mississippi.  

Recently I posted what I thought was a very positive piece about looking for the good in people and focusing on the positive things we see in the world. Hundreds of other people either “Liked” or “Loved” the post or left supportive comments.

Three people objected.

In the beginning I was shocked and surprised.  How could anyone object to looking for the good in people?  Well, they didn’t.  Their complaint wasn’t really with what I had written.  They objected to the fact that I was from Mississippi. 

The gist of their comments was that people from Mississippi are not open to ideas that are different from their own and like many other people who don’t live in the big cities on the coast Mississippians tend to generalize about other people. (I really enjoyed that generalization.)

My first response was to be irritated that someone who didn’t know me, didn’t know anything about me, and had never met me would make such an unfounded assumption. My second thought was to reflect on times I had made assumptions about people I didn’t know. 

When was the last time you read a news story about someone you didn’t know and formed a negative opinion based on that bit of hearsay gossip?  Years ago I met a famous musician who was notorious in the tabloids for his bad behavior.  He and I shared a table at a banquet, not by my choice.  We hit it off and our dinner lasted for about six hours.  We then spent the better part of the next two days together.  I found him to be one of the most polite, considerate and humble people I had ever met.  I learned from mutual acquaintances that much of what I had heard had a small grain of truth to it but was either exaggerated or that important details had been left out.  In other words, what I thought I knew about this person didn’t fully coincide with reality.

Too often we don’t take the time to learn about the real person, but instead make assumptions based on their family, their home town or country, their dress, their choice in tattoos, their religion, their race, their occupation, or their political affiliations. What we forget is that groups are made of people  and that each person is a unique individual with their own personality.

My friend Daryl Davis is an oddity.  He’s a fantastic musician and story teller.  He’s also a black man who has made a point to get to know and befriend members of the Ku Klux Klan.  The Klansmen made assumptions about Daryl based on his race, but because they and he were willing to talk, and more important, willing to listen, he has changed quite a few of their lives. 

He, and in many cases they, looked beyond the external to learn more about the internal hopes and dreams and beliefs of people different from themselves.  We should all  learn from Daryl’s example, and take time to know the person inside the skin instead of the person we think we know from how they look from the outside.

Richard B Stevens PM
Ebenezer Lodge #76
Senatobia, Mississippi