After more than two years with the same Girl Scout troop, Catie is changing to one that’s closer for her years as a Brownie.
It completely makes sense for us to move to this new troop. This one is tied to her elementary school and meets within a mile of our house. The original troop we were hooked up with is tied to another school and meets on the other side of town.
Still, she bonded with those girls, and it’s hard for her to leave them.
In fact, JOINING them was a big effort for both me and Catie. Even though we’re both social and we both like organization, we’re not good joiners.
I’m afraid Catie learned this non-joining behavior right from me.
Don’t get me wrong, I like to serve. I like to band together for the good of the group. I like the IDEA of all that…
But it’s the red tape, and the “you MUST get your forms in by TODAY to be part of our group” and the battles within the group that are a turn-off for me.
And since I’m confessing, I don’t totally see the value of groups. Of teams. Of troops. Of Leagues. I’ve always liked creating by myself or with a small group. I thrive on the spontaneity of all that. Of the organic energy of it.
On a related note, a guy from Galveston recently created a Facebook group called “You Know You’re a BOI if…”
BOI means Born On Island and it’s a group about all the hi jinx that take place to the kids who grow up in a tourist trap that’s led by politicians with those tourists’ interests in mind more than the locals’ interests. The group is filled with stories about underage drinking. Lots of wild parties. Lots of poverty. Lots of stories about ridiculously incompetent teachers and schools.
The BOIs on Facebook have contributed thousands and thousands of memories.
There aren’t five memories on there about any organized group in Galveston.
Let me make the connection. In my formative years, when I was supposed to be learning the power of Girl Scouts and the pleasure of a soccer team, there weren’t many of those groups available.
But it’s not about me right now, it’s about my kids.
And there are PLENTY of those things in our town.
For better or worse, I’ll try to teach Catie the fun of joining a group.
Even though, I remain, a non-joiner.
