Character Anonymous

While shaking the commissioner's hand, I felt myself overrun with emotions. Thirteen years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice all overlapped into one moment as I looked him in the eyes: a beautiful sense of accomplishment and gracious respect through a single handshake. As I looked into my hand I saw it, a medal representing my prestige, my journey and my hard work. My sense of confident self-identity and greatest feats summarized by this Eagle Scout award. I still remember the day my father proposed joining the Boy Scouts. I said yes, and have never looked back.

My father, my role model and a former Eagle Scout himself, has always taken great pride in this honor. At night he would always tell me stories and how becoming an Eagle Scout embodies a set of ideals that allows oneself to become the best version of themselves. It was not until I started my own Eagle project that I truly started to understand the meaning of being a Scout. My Eagle project consisted of building an outdoor handicap bathroom in a local State Park. This project was the first time I was in charge of a large group of people alone. All of sudden, I was in charge of countless units of heavy machinery and oversaw carpentry, roofing, paneling, interior...