Loading Them Up, Moving Them Out

Fifty-one weeks done, one week left to make a difference.

Busy does not begin to describe how the last month or so has gone.  We had our reception, with all its related events, and that was great!  But most of the heavy lifting for that was done by others.  My job was mostly to show up dressed, made up, hair and nails done, with a speech in hand.  I managed that much. :-)

Then the next weekend was the revealing of the 2014 Grand Family.  That was a little strange.  For the past six years, I've known who the people were before I went into the event and this time I didn't, so you'd think that there would be more excitement involved in sitting there with the rest of the crowd, waiting to see who had been chosen.  But much to my surprise, I found that it was really only of an academic interest to me.

To be sure, I am thrilled for the members who have been chosen and hope that they have as fabulous a year as I had when I was an appointive officer.  On the other hand, from a personal perspective, I am not going to be traveling with this Grand Family.  My time for choosing officers is over, so I was not eagerly awaiting the names of those chosen to see how many of the people I might have wanted were taken and had to come off my list.  I could certainly enjoy the excitement of those chosen and the crowd watching, but it was a little more disconnected than it had been for the past six years.  And I could tell that it was hard on my officers.  They are, I am sure, very happy to know who is following them, but it also drives home to them that they are almost done and that is tough.  I wish that I could make that transition easier for them, but I don't know any way to do that.

That weekend was a breeze, but the weekend after was more of a high stressor.  We put on a welcome tea on the first day of the Grand Lodge of California's Annual Communication for all the ladies who were attending and since the event has never been done before, it sort of had to be created out of nothing.  I had a fabulous Sister as the chair and she did trooper work getting the refreshments and place settings together, but she told me up front that vision is not her strongest suit, so imagining the event was my responsibility, also getting the door prizes, working out logistics and arranging table hostesses.

It was a total ton of work, but COMPLETELY worth it.  The event came off incredibly well and the Grand Lodge Brethren were very happy and grateful.  They've even asked us to do it again in the years to come.  We served over 140 ladies and less than a third of them were already members.  In fact, many of the ladies had heard of us, but never really spoken with any of us and many of their husband's lodges met at halls that no longer had Chapters so they were excited to find out about us.  We had a fair number of them go to our booth the next day and we had our web site up and running to let them find Chapters closest to their home or work.  I hope that we get a nice batch of petitions from the tea, but even without knowing how many we get, it was totally worthwhile for the goodwill it helped generate between our Grand Chapter and the Grand Lodge.  Positive relations between us can only help all our Chapters and all our Lodges.

Once that was over though, my head had to get back into the game of getting ready for Grand Chapter.  Writing my Worthy Grand Matron's report was tough - I think that it will be the longest speech that I have ever given at an Eastern Star event and the longest combined time that my Worthy Grand Patron and I have ever spent talking, since his report comes after mine.  At Official Visits, we would do thank yous and each speak and the total time for that was usually around fifteen to twenty minutes.  These two reports we are doing will probably go a collective forty-five minutes, but thirty or so of that is mine and he's only got ten or fifteen, if that much.

Looking back at other sessions though, I have to admit that a combined forty-five is not terrible.  I've seen single reports that were that long before.  I hope they find the material interesting.  I cut out all the routine stuff and only included the important stuff, at least what I think is important.  But for better or worse, it is written and the headers sent to the computer operator to prepare the slides.

Then I had to write the Farewell Address.  In some ways, that one is worse because with the report, you know that you are reporting on your actions and your recommendations, so the subject matter is pretty well laid out.  But for the Farewell,  you know that you are going to do a bunch of thank yous, but then what comes after that and before "Farewell."  It's the last meaningful message speech that I will probably ever give in this Order.  After this, it will be remarks at people's receptions, which will be happy stuff about them, praise speeches when I present a gavel or act as a hostess or something like that, no real speaking opportunities where a viewpoint or message should be included.  But by the same token, it is not a speech about what we are going to do, because I will be done after that, and it isn't a speech about what we did, because we do that in our reports.  So what do you put in such a speech.

I don't know if the answer I came up with is the best one or even a good one, but again, for better or for worse, it is done and I hope it ends up meaning something to someone.

All that is left now is to shop and to pack and to go.  A week from right now, I will be enjoying my last State Dinner and a week and day from right now, I will be going into the Arena to see my little Sister installed and a week and a day and four (five if I am really unlucky) hours from now, I will be the next Junior Past Grand Matron, at the end of a six year journey.  But the Session should be the cherry on top of the magnificent cake that this year has been.

Next weekend I am done with this phase of my Eastern Star Life.  I should have plenty of time to tell you about it when I come back and put a close to this saga of Fraternal Life on the Way Up.