How to be a Girl Scout

January 2022 arrived with a huge bang wherein so many of my friends and relatives have been hit by the Omicron virus. Living in uncertainty for the past two years has taught me many things – good and bad – but despite the rollercoaster lifestyle, I have actually learned how to prep. I do recall a show called “Preppers“ and it used to fascinate me to see how people took survivalism to the next level. Many episodes in that series showed me how people were securing food, building living spaces in hidden areas and a whole lot of do-it-yourself activities that really blew my mind.

Modern-day preppers are one of a kind and, just like Macgyver, one can really discover 20 different ways a Swiss knife can be useful beyond the conventional. Taking things down a notch, however, and apart from the “Aha!“ moments I am currently experiencing as a prepper, I’ve come to realize that back in the day, the scouts were also taught the same but with a larger perspective and built on courage, confidence and strength of character.

My folks always thought of me as a Girl Scout. My handbag was always equipped with things that I could easily hand over when someone asked. When I was younger, I thought that this was all that was required from a Girl Scout – to have everything handy even when least expected. Being a Girl Scout entails goal setting, people skills and decision making and the older I got, I realized that there was something meaningful about being prepared, and all this goes as far as nation building. Scouts, girls or boys, are formed to be nation builders at a very young age and willingness to serve is said to be not enough. One must be prepared to do the job right. There will be many occasions in life when we will be called to step out of our comfort zones and put others first by helping them.

While I keep attributing many things to this pandemic, very difficult circumstances continue to teach me so much. Many ideas that circle my mind lead to countless deeds and lately, for very specific purposes that go beyond survival. Preppers have taught us to cope in the midst of nothingness but when I look at the scouts, I see survival that is all about togetherness. A scout’s honor after all is to be able to serve God and country and live by the scout’s law.

On the larger scale of things, best practices and good governance have proven that inclusivity is also a chance for us to multiply wealth, including resources that create opportunities for many. Again, I go back to the possibilities provided to us from moments of adversity and many times, these have proven to be occasions not only for growth but for serious industrialization.

I’d like to look forward to the future despite this crisis and I’d like to look at it beyond the eyes of a prepper but rather, through the eyes of a Girl Scout. You can choose to look at life either positively or negatively and regardless of adversity, I am choosing to look at it through the specs of hope and responsible leadership as we dive into the age of transformation. I’d like to think this is something my generation can look forward to as, who knows, we may just be the boomers of our time.

As the scouts always say, “Be prepared.“ The same motto holds true today.