The Buddy System

Being a Girl Scout taught me lots of life lessons and principles that I carry with me to this day. The great thing about the lessons is that they were not always obvious. Or even lessons that we were sat down and given. No, the lessons were demonstrated through actions as well as being discussed. One lesson that did not really hit me until today was the buddy system.

My Girl Scout troop traveled quite often. Whether it was camping or our annual summer vacations that were partially funded by our cookie sales, we were always on the road. Traveling around with a large group of preteen and teenage girls had the potential for disaster. We could have easily lost someone in the crowd. There were way too many girls for the adults to keep an eye on.

The buddy system helped eliminate some of the worry. We would pair off in twos. That did not mean that we had to do EVERYTHING together, but it did mean that we were supposed to know where our buddy was at all times. The buddy system was most helpful to me when we were camping. Our campsites would have bathrooms but they would require a walk down the trail. That walk was fine in the daytime. But at night it was a different story.

You may or may not know this but I have an active imagination. If the urge to go to the bathroom hit me in the middle of the night while camping, I would hold it for as long as I could. Eventually, I would have to unzip my sleeping bag and nudge my buddy until they woke up. We would bundle up and get our flashlights and head down the trail. Do not get me wrong. I was still scared and paranoid, but I felt better with my buddy by my side.

Shoot, even though I am a grown-up, I have come to realize that I still need the buddy system. I need folks that I can partner up with to walk through this life’s journey. I need people who will notice if I have gone missing in my spiritual life. That will sound the alarm and send out a search party. That will get out of their comfortable situations to make sure that my pressing needs are met.

Do you have a buddy? Are you a buddy? Link up with one today so that you do not get lost. #wepreach