Long Receovery

I don't know what form of affliction beset me recently, but I do know that I'm glad to be feeling better.

For the past two or three weeks, every time I thought I was getting over whatever cold or flu I had caught, it would come back and lay me out again. I spent a week coughing so much that my latissimus dorsi muscles ached.

Over the course of my illness, I've missed two Lodge meetings. One for the Philisophic Lodge of Research, and one for my Mother Lodge - a Fellowcraft Degree no less. I also missed only my second meeting of the Committee For Masonic Education.

While I'm aware that my Brothers would not fault me for being absent when truly sick, I have to say that being away from Lodge made me feel worse. Partly because I was not there to help, and partly because not going reinforced how badly off I was.

My bout with whatever it was also kept me away from reading my ususal blogs and from posting here.

As I have withdrawn from the Philalethes list, this meant that I was very much out of contact with the Masonic world. If it were not for some backchannel emails about a couple of tpoics, I would have been looking for a volleyball to paint.

The spring Grand Lodge Communication is coming up in Connecticut next month, and I'm looking forward to it. I have gone to Grand Lodge every year since I received the Master Mason's Degree, and there is always something interesting that came out of the sessions I attended. This year, I might try to pursuade some of our new Brothers to attend, just to see what goes on. If nothing else, it will be a chance for them to witness how these events are run and what goes into adminitering the Fraternity in their state.

I have always held the belief that every Master Mason in Connecticut should make the effort to attend the meeting of the Grand Lodge at least once every two years. In my not so humble opinion, it would help remove the feeling that the Grand Lodge is somehow separate from what they do at the local Lodge level. I can't speak for other jurisdictions, but I have yet to pose a question to a Grand Lodge officer and not get a straight answer.

While some Masons may find the proceedings boring, I have found them a chance to build fellowship with officers in the Grand Line, and to meet and discuss issues with Brethren from Lodges all across the state. My only regret is that these discussions have yet to result in more visitation.

After all, there is no "them". There is only "us".

Stay tuned, or not, it's up to you.