Reflections

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Randy Sanders

Brother Darin Lahners walked us through a multi-part series looking at the Craft from some excellent historical commentary.  Brother Darin provided his own commentary but left the majority of the citation up to you for further reflection.  If you care to pull the parts together, I encourage you to reread that commentary as one long piece.  I don’t agree with a few observations, but I do agree with the vast majority.  Is this agreement or disagreement what we need to initiate deeper discussion in our lodges?  Is this creating or possibly following the blueprint for a reset?  Going back to some longtime criticisms to see where they hold merit, where those criticisms continue without correction, and how those criticisms may be considered in open and respectful dialogue?  

Here’s my own reset and forward-looking plan:  Contemplate nothing.

 What?  But Randy?  Brother Darin’s writings and reflections might be interpreted as a call to arms, of a push toward getting more accomplished by making some profound changes!  Yes, I agree.  I will explain.

What happens if we simply do nothing?  Read Brother Darin’s papers again, and now contemplate what happens in your own lodge, district, and jurisdiction if you simply do nothing.  That exercise is valuable in demonstrating the power of one.  What happens if you make one change?  What happens when you make another change?  Each one of the changes remains a powerful tool, and we each have a responsibility to play chess, not checkers when making changes in our fraternity. 

Yes, I said it.  Responsibility.  If you make the change, then you take ownership, right or wrong.  Doesn’t that mean we need to take time to consider what long-term ramifications might happen with that change?  If we enact a policy, can that policy come back to bite us in other ways?  What other changes might be included unintentionally? 

How can we look at an action and contemplate the possible results if we don’t first contemplate what happens if we do nothing?

~RS

Randy and his wife Elyana live near St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Randy earned a Bachelors Degree in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry, and he works in Telecom IT management. He volunteers as a professional and personal mentor, NRA certified Chief Range Safety Officer and enjoys competitive tactical pistol, rifle, and shotgun. He has 30 plus years teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chi Kung, and healing arts. Randy served as a Logistics Section Chief on two different United States federal Disaster Medical Assistance Teams over a 12 year span. Randy is a 32nd degree KCCH and Knight Templar. His Masonic bio includes past Lodge Education Officer for two symbolic lodges, Founder of the Wentzville Lodge Book Club, member of the Grand Lodge of Missouri Education Committee, Sovereign Master of the E. F. Coonrod AMD Council No. 493, Co-Librarian of the Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis, Clerk for the Academy of Reflection through the Valley of Guthrie, and a Facilitator for the Masonic Legacy Society. Randy is a founding administrator for Refracted Light, full contributor to Midnight Freemasons, and an international presenter on esoteric topics. Randy hosts an open ongoing weekly Masonic virtual Happy Hour on Friday evenings. Randy is an accomplished home chef, a certified barbecue judge, raises Great Pyrenees dogs, and enjoys travel and philosophy.