Thinking Day

Today, February 22, is Thinking Day for Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world.

“World Thinking Day was first created in 1926 at the fourth Girl Guide/Girl Scout International Conference, held at Girl Scouts of the USA’s Camp Edith Macy. Conference attendees decided that there should be a special day when Girl Scouts and Girl Guides all around the world think of each other and give thanks and appreciation to their “sister” Girl Scouts. The delegates chose February 22 as the date for Thinking Day because it was the mutual birthday of Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scout movement, and his wife Olave, who served as World Chief Guide.”

I was an enthusiastic participant in Brownies, Guides, and Rangers throughout my childhood and young adult years, and it has only today struck me as amusing that having one of 365 days in the year designated for thinking rather implies less of a need for same the other 364.

Interesting fact: The Promise “to serve God* and my country” in Girl Scouts carries the asterisk note, * The word “God” can be interpreted in a number of ways, depending on one’s spiritual beliefs. When reciting the Girl Scout Promise, it is okay to replace the word “God” with whatever word your spiritual beliefs dictate. There is no such asterisk/footnote in the Boy Scouts’ Oath.

I read on the Girl Scouts of the USA web page that the name was changed to World Thinking Day in 1999. And on the Girl Guides‘ page, that they cut the number of Laws from ten to six. I’m OK with losing “A Guide is obedient”, and condensing a couple into one new one. But they got rid of “A Guide takes care of her own possessions and those of others” and “A Guide is self-controlled in all she thinks, says, and does”. Bah! Is nothing constant? February 22 will be Thinking Day for me until the end of my time.