Anticipation

As I wait for my day to begin, I find myself incredibly excited, in the sort of way one normally grows out of in adolescence. It's the sort of nervous, hyperactive excitement small children experience before going to a favorite amusement park.

I experience this because of the Boy Scouts. When I was younger, still living at home and percolating through the public education system, I was a willing, if not eager participant, in the activities of my local Scout troop. While I enjoyed most of the activities, I found most of the actual merit badge work to be insufferably dull.

But I always did enjoy the various service projects that we engaged in. We routinely held a food drive, we sold popcorn and various other products to raise money for our activities (and for various charities) and I was always an eager participant in these events.

But, time passed, and eventually I left the Boy Scouts by reason of being too old to continue participating, and so I have not gotten to do anything like this for some time - and so, as I prepare for the event tonight, I find myself full of that same happy, anticipatory energy.