Scouts, I’m sure you’ve all seen a diamond. It’s very hard, very bright and beautiful. Most of you have seen graphite – Pencil lead. It is part graphite, part clay. It’s flat black and crumbles easily. Now a little chemistry lesson. Who can tell me how graphite and diamonds are alike? That’s right – both are made from the element carbon. They are known as allotropes (also graphenes, fullerenes, bucky balls). Graphite is inexpensive compared to a diamond which has great value because it is rare.
I compare the diamond to a man of sharp mind, hard body and shining bright spirit. The graphite might be compared to a man who is not mentally sharp, physically tough or spiritually bright. Someone once said that a diamond is just a piece of graphite that stuck to it. Over many millions of years its brilliance was caused by the heat and pressure inside our earth.
My hope is that like that diamond you will stick to it by following our Scouting ideals.
If you do, you will become an example of what a man should be.
