Folks I have fond memories of my days as a boy scout! I was a member of troop #50 in New Lebanon, Ohio. We were fortunate to have an outstanding scout master, Andy Hinkle. He was strict about obeying the scout laws and behaving as a boy scout should. He emphasized trying to do a good deed every day. Be that as it may, Andy was a lot of fun. He also had a keen mind and employed various methods to keep our attention and teach us at the same time. Take the Morse code for instance. As we were learning this he came up with a novel and fun way for us to practice using the code.

One night at our meeting we went on a treasure hunt. All the clues were in Morse code. Each patrol had their instructions in code. If we were to find the treasure we had to decipher the code. Each patrol had different clues. We would decipher each clue and run to the designated hiding place of the next clue. The last clue directed us back to the scout headquarters where we found candy bars for each scout.

I got to thinking about all this as I realized that I never had any idea that I would still be going on treasure hunts as a senior citizen. Boy was I wrong! Almost every day I go treasure hunting. The treasure I am hunting is always something that I can use and really need. I go searching for my hearing aids, my billfold, my glasses or numerous other treasures that are essential in my life at this stage.

Somehow I do not find treasure hunting as much fun now as I did when I was a young boy scout.

You younger readers don’t laugh. One day, and sooner than you expect, you also will be on this treasure hunt.

So, ‘Be Prepared’, which is the boy scout motto, and enjoy each treasure hunt.

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