Haven't had I seen my mum that concern over matters in the Boys' Brigade. Yeah, sometimes (when I was still in BB) she will nag me about some things I do: not ironing my uniform on time, forgetting to bring my haversack, leaving my boots at Youth Center, putting stinking socks and underwear together with clean cloths in a bag after a camp, etc.
But last night, she cried over some "BB problems" to me over live messenger.
As a mum she saw her boys grew up under the BB banner; whom then took up leadership positions, and eventually learned making decisions for younger members in the company. She knew that different leaders have different styles to decision making.
She said she wasn't really wanted to be involved with how things worked, or how things "should work" in BB. Nonetheless, she wanted to let the leaders in the company know some problems she saw as a parent to five boys.
I understood what she meant. However, I don't know how to comfort her; I was once those people who stood to make decisions for the company. I personally experienced some criticisms from parents about some decisions I made for the boys. Now I understand how much my decisions had meant to the boys and their parents.
After taking a study break from BB for about eight months, my heart remains passionate to serve in 1st KL, though I know how chaotic things were...are.
From my point of view, BB is a space for boys to grow - spiritually, educationally, mentally, and physically. And the BB Object states: The advancement of Christ's kingdom among members (or Boys) and promotion of habits of Obedience, Reverence, Discipline, Self-respect, and all that tends towards a true Christian character (or manliness).
I suppose all activities and operations in BB should revolve around that objective. Every action we as officers take we do it for the sake and for the good of our boys. We do not want to do things that are self-benefiting (sometimes company-benefiting) or swayed from the main purpose of BB. I truly believe that Christianity and Discipline march along side by side in BB. When an officer punish a boy, he/she wants to educate the boy what he's done was wrong in the sight of Christian rules.
Even though my mum is not yet a Christian, she knows what's right and what's not. Many times she knows the important dates in BB, like Founder's day, Awards Day, Enrolment Sunday, camps, BB Pesta, etc., more than a BB boy like me does. I thank God for a mum who will actually wake me up every first Sunday of the month and reminds me to go for Mufti Sunday. Her knowledge about BB is comparable to a BB instructor. This is why I value her thoughts on most of the decisions I made as a leader.
When I saw her cry over the problems she mentioned, I knew it was really heart-breaking for her. After all, what's the big deal about getting the tailor to come late to make the measurement for uniforms, I thought. After listening to her insights, I learned that some minor things in our ways of doing things showed how much we cared.
Over the last few months, I heard her nagging about the hassle to borrow uniforms for my younger brothers so that they can join the seniors in some performances. I never thought these were big deals, I did that for the boys most of the time. But, she told me that officers don't care as much anymore. I was disappointed hearing that.
I don't know how many committed officers we have, but it is always the quality of work done that matters.
I pray that the fire in the hearts of our officers will burn in flames once again. I am not saying that our officers are lazy or what not; after all I wasn't physically there. I just hope that what my mum told me wasn't true. We, officers (though I am still a Staff Sergeant) had commissioned ourselves to service for boys. Like the 1stKL tagline goes: First for Boys.
Do we really put our boys first in everything? Or did we put the Pesta trophies first?
I anticipate about coming back to 1st KL and join them in all their preparation for Pesta competitions. I look forward to the day I slip back into my good-old Staff Sergeant uniform; and again listen to my mum's nagging about how my uniform isn't well-ironed.
