There’s a wonderful line in a favorite movie of mine entitled “L.A. Confidential” which goes…

“Why did you become a Cop? This used to be about justice.”

Which in my limited mind, might translate to…

“Why did you become an Odd Fellow? This used to be about Friendship, Love and Truth.”

It is a pivotal question.

Sometimes we need to ask ourselves that.

When I began as a member of the Odd Fellows, I was sitting in my crazy little bookstore and a little old man approached me and described the order as some type of heaven on earth. A refuge from the outside world. A place where politics, class, race, religion were all separated from reality. I joined because it sounded wonderful, and almost too good to be true. That old man became a great friend of mine.

Now that old man has passed, and perhaps I have become the old man, although I don’t think I will ever be as wise as he was.

But the refuge still is a possibility. I want it to be one. Where we can all forget our turmoil, become one within the walls of our lodges and remember that this is about Friendship, Love, and Truth. Only that, nothing more, nothing less.

In Friendship, Love, and Truth, Rick Boyles

Remembering Bud Carey

Remembering Bud Carey

Dear Dedicated Members for Change, We all know that once your name winds up on a company's mailing list (or email list) it seems like the name kind of stays on that list forever. The other day when I checked the incoming mail at the Lodge, I saw yet another example of...

They Never Event Got to Play

They Never Event Got to Play

Dear Dedicated Members for Change, Nine years ago, in November of 2014, I first published the nursery rhyme and article you will find, below. Is it still applicable today? F - L - T Dave RosenbergPast Grand MasterJurisdiction of CaliforniaIndependent Order of Odd...

Role Reversal within the Odd Fellows

Role Reversal within the Odd Fellows

I have been lucky enough to win elections several times in our order. Now, I am serving in my third term as an elective member of the Board of Directors of the Grand Lodge. Of course, I also sat on the board as an elective Grand Lodge Officer and Grand Representative,...

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