Patrick Mosher earned Eagle Scout at 14, and his mother gave him a wooden-chip eagle she'd handcrafted. He argues that meaningful gifts take time and effort, not money: handwritten letters, poems, artwork. Real tributes honor both the achievement and the relationship.
Chapters
As we approach the end of the year, let's celebrate. It's been a challenging year, but surely you can find something to celebrate. Now I'm proposing a slightly different way to celebrate, but let's start with a story. When I was 14, I reached the pinnacle of Boy Scouts by achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. I worked hard on passing the requirements and accumulating the necessary merit badges. I achieved each level from Scout to Tenderfoot to Second Class to First Class to Star to Life to Eagle as fast as I possibly could. I soared to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. But this story isn't about me and my success. You see, to achieve the highest rank, my mom played an integral part. She encouraged and supported me, drove me to merit badge counselors' homes, and waited as I was tested for knowledge and skills. She drove me to Boy Scout meetings, patrol meetings, and camping trips. And sadly, I took her contribution for granted. When I got home from the Eagle Scout awards ceremony, Mom had a gift waiting for me. I opened the 20 by 14 inch box and pulled away the tissue paper. I gasped. She made an eagle out of wood chips. Each wood chip tacked or glued to the backboard, each chip curled as a feather of an eagle rising in flight. Mother of 4, dashing all over town for appointments, practices, and meetings, making meals, doing laundry, cleaning the house, and here is this beautiful eagle to celebrate my achievement of making Eagle Scout. When did she find time to do this? I have the Eagle Scout medal and merit badge sash safely stored. I value the achievement and occasionally pull them out to remind me who I've been. The woodchip eagle, though, hangs proudly in my office in full view so I can see it every day. It represents not only my achievement but my mom's devotion and love. I can imagine her hands working the small wood chips, the hammer, and the glue gun. The smell of the stain she used to create the magnificent colors. So this year, as you prepare to celebrate your achievements, step beyond yourself. Think of someone special. What was their big achievement this year? My mom spent an amazing amount of precious time making the wood chip eagle. I suppose that's the most precious gift you can give—your time. So what could you do to celebrate that person's life milestone? Cards, social media likes and loves, emojis are cool, but this amazing accomplishment deserves more, right? What could you do that lasts a lifetime? Something they will savor forever. If you need some ideas, write a 3-page handwritten letter. Create a music video with pictures describing their journey. Draft a poem or create a piece of art. It doesn't have to be magnificent or pretty. It should just come from deep within you, from your heart. By the way, if you've got more creative ideas, let me know. I'll share them with the Wisdom for Humanity community. So this year, when you celebrate someone's achievements, you celebrate not only their achievement, You celebrate them, and bonus, you celebrate the unique connection you share. Make the gift special, and maybe it'll hang in their room for 46 years like my wood chip eagle. And if you stop by my house, I'll show you the wood chip eagle. As I show it to you, I might mist up a bit as I think about Mom leaning over the eagle with her deaf hands, smiling as she celebrates her youngest son.
