Fred E. Young, 33°
9025 Salem Drive, Apt. 4, Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66215-3287

Heroes, friends, and Masonic Brothers provide guidance in building a good life.

Photo: Lou Gehrig, Baseball Great

When I was a teenager, I had a great interest in baseball. Lou Gehrig was my hero. I followed his statistics in the newspapers, and I was fortunate enough to see him play the "Triplet" cities of Binghamton, Johnson City, and Endicott. Each game had an overflow crowd, but I got to stand about 65 feet from him. He is gone now, his records in baseball broken, and new heroes of the sport have taken his place. I have heroes in basketball and football, too, and their accomplishments in athletics continue to amaze me.

But I have other heroes in other fields as well. One is Dr. Logan McGrew, the man who encouraged me to consider applying for membership in the Masonic Lodge. Others include Charlie, Dick, Floyd, Forrest, and Dale. They stood out in the community, helped me in the early years of my Masonic work, and remain my friends.

Everyone needs a friend who knows us, loves us, and helps us in our efforts to move upward in all aspects of life. That is one of the many things Masonry offers as a fraternal order. Our Masonic Lodges are full of Brothers who care for others. They guide us into lives that promote righteousness and good works. Look for friends; be a friend; promote friendship. It will make a more just society and help build a better world.

Reprinted from The Scottish Knight (Nov. 2001), the bulletin of the Valley of Northeast Kansas