Life Paths Minute

A young Indian boy dreamed that he climbed a great mountain.
To the East, he could see rolling plains all the way to the horizon.
To the North, he saw sharp, snow-covered, mountain peaks.
To the West, was the endless ocean, sparkling in the sun.
And, to the South, he saw the People's lands where he lived.
When he woke, he ran to the chief to ask what his dream meant.

The chief explained that there are many paths in life. As the boy grows, he may take any path.
The plains to the east are full of game and represent an easy life. He may take a path that has few challenges and live a happy, safe life.
The northern mountain peaks are the difficult obstacles and hardships in life. He may choose to push himself to great goals and this means that he may sometimes fail.
The ocean that goes forever is the great unknown. If the youth explores further than the People have traveled, only he will know what he will encounter.

These days, you all have the same plains, mountains, and endless ocean. You can choose to have a regular job and family and lead a perfectly fine life. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Or, you might really challenge yourself to be more than you ever thought possible and keep pushing yourself, even if you fail sometimes.
And, a few of you might even go into the unknown - whether that is space exploration, medical research, electronic technology, or something completely unknown today.

What about the view to the South in the dream, that land where the Indian lived as a youth? Well, no matter what path he chooses in life, the People, his family, will always be there to welcome him home. The same is true for you scouts. Choose your path in life and remember that your Scouting family is always here.