Has any of you had the opportunity to take in the movie "Patch Adams"? The story relates to the non-conformist attitudes and unorthodox practices of an individual becoming a doctor. He did not subscribe to the methods that were being taught on how to treat patients.

Has any of you had the opportunity to take in the movie "Patch Adams"? The story relates to the non-conformist attitudes and unorthodox practices of an individual becoming a doctor. He did not subscribe to the methods that were being taught on how to treat patients. He was competent, scholarly (second in his class), and, at the same time, somewhat radical. He bent the rules in treating the infirm, the ill and the dying. He was admonished on numerous occasions by the dean of his class who blurted out words with which we as Masons are all too familiar. "Our way of doing things is a product of centuries of experience." The dean in overall charge of the college and hospital recognized that he was a promising student and cautioned him to stay clear of this other dean as much as possible if he expected to graduate. He was called before a sanctioning committee (made up of a half dozen well experienced doctors) which read the charges against him for breaking the rules and time-honoured traditions of the medical school and the profession. His defence was his desire to improve the quality of life of the afflicted, and his controversial question as to what the word "treatment" meant fostered a lengthy interchange of ideas. After an in camera consideration of his case, the committee emerged with their decision. He was commended for his attempts to improve the quality of life for the patients and his innovative approach which the committee hoped would Spread "like wildfire through the profession" and that others like the dean of his class should also practice a little "excessive happiness". And, in addition, because of his scholastic achievement, they saw no reason for Hunter (Patch) Adams not graduating as a doctor.

This is a true story. Dr. Hunter (Patch) Adams, after treating thousands in his practice (many without charge), is now in the process of constructing his own clinic in Virginia and has a waiting list of over one thousand doctors who wish to join him in his methods.

The familiarity of the foregoing scenario leads me to wonder why the Craft is generally so opposed to change. Change means progress. Stagnation portends of decay and death. The reality here is that we must progress by change or suffer the consequences of the present course.

There is no real bibliography to this paper, but the reference I have based it on comes from a novelty item given to me several months ago. It is something like a Rubik's cube. On it are several phrases that, if we applied them to our Craft, would ultimately change our course. If each of us was to think sincerely how each of these phrases could be applied to one's self and our aspirations for the future of Masonry, could we be a party to a regenerative process and have the enthusiasm of our convictions and actions spread like wildfire through the Craft in our jurisdictions? We all have our own ideas, but consider your own opinion of the following topics of: Think Change; Reach And Achieve; Focus Today; Make It Happen; Ignite Your Inner Fire; Pull Together; Expand Your Horizons; Seize The Day; Follow Your Dreams; Do It Now; Whatever It Takes; Make A Difference.

THINK CHANGE - As previously mentioned, progress is the result of change. Without change, there is no progress. Consider the world around you and view the changes that have occurred in our everyday lives. There is nothing in this room, in this town, at your table, in your heart or in your mind that hasn't come about without change. So why are we in the Craft so unreceptive to change? There are changes going on but, generally speaking, are they not more regressive than progressive? Have we ever become excited with a regressive situation in our job, in our lives, or in our lodges? However, the opposite is true of progressive changes. It goes without saying that we get excited or enthusiastic about positive changes in our lives or jobs, but are we excited or enthusiastic about what is going on in our lodges? With a few exceptions, I doubt it. I have personally experienced positive change in a couple of lodges that was the result of some brethren within the lodge committing themselves to a plan of action that eventually brought their lodge back to life. They made changes but still retained the time honoured landmarks and traditions.

FOCUS TODAY - Today is what matters. Being entrenched in the past accomplishes nothing. Tomorrow, today is yesterday and we can't do a thing about it. Today will not come again. Whatever happened yesterday may have a bearing on what you do or accomplish today.

Today you plan to do something and tomorrow you can look back and determine if your plan was a good one based on your accomplishments. Maybe that plan should be modified or altered because the results were not up to your expectations. On the next tomorrow, you repeat the process. This may be an oversimplification, but the general idea should be apparent.

IGNITE YOUR INNER FIRE - We have all heard of the individual who has worked on his job for thirty years, but the fire is out. The same applies to members of the Craft. How many of our members' fires have gone out? The interest and enthusiasm of their early years in the lodge  have deteriorated to a point where they aren't interested in attending, they don't participate in any of the lodge's activities, and, by their complacent attitude, they don't instill a desire for others to inquire about Masonry. If you have a spark, and I do believe everyone in this room does, fan it a little. If you can produce a flame, the fire will follow and hopefully you can spread it around and turn it into a blaze in your own lodge or jurisdiction. The requirements to do this, of course, is a sufficient supply of combustible material. Masonry has plenty of such materials: The Renewal/Trestle Board Program, The Mentor Programs, The Education and Training Programs of our individual jurisdictions, The Masonic Libraries, etc., just to name a few. There is enough material to set the world on fire.

WHATEVER IT TAKES - This may be difficult, but persistence is the key here. In the selling business, one doesn't give up on the first "no" or the tenth or twentieth. You push on because you are getting closer to the "yes". If at first you don't succeed pivot. Try a different approach. Change your plan. You might not have any assistance at first, but once you garner the interest of one or two, the task becomes easier and the pyramid growth effect becomes visible, and others will join or want to be part of your plan, your project or your enthusiasm. Do whatever it takes to get the snowball rolling and the rest will be history - tomorrow. Of course, the underlying fundamentals are included in the snowball.

EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS - How much narrow-mindedness does it take to alienate those you are trying to attract? Using the fact that most fraternal organizations are in a period of declining membership, do we concentrate only on increasing the membership? This theory is running rampant in many jurisdictions. If you are successful in attracting new members, what do you do with them once they join? All too often, they fall by the wayside and are rarely seen again.

Perhaps the problem is at home in the lodge itself. Embark on a mission to cure the ills within the existing membership and provide reasons for them to become involved in a rejuvenation process. Once the thought mechanisms take hold, ideas, some plausible, others improbable, will emerge, and your horizons will expand beyond a singular solution to a problem.

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS - How many of you are daydreaming about the way you might apply some of the thoughts expressed so far. Dreaming can give you ideas; ideas can lead to plans; and that can produce results when the plan is implemented. Dreams like winning the lottery are unrealistic, but dreams of things attainable through planning and action are the ones to follow. There will be obstacles to overcome and hurdles to jump and it may require both physical and mental exertion to achieve a desirable result. Norman Vincent Peale said that every adversity is the seed of a greater benefit. The seeds sown by dreams in a man's mind can lead past such obstacles and adversities.

REACH AND ACHIEVE - Nothing can be more exhilarating than achieving or surpassing a goal one has set for oneself. The task at hand to improve the Craft or your lodge in particular will not happen overnight, no matter how diligent you may be to that end. Time is the enemy for goal setting. There are many factors in reaching and achieving an objective. Keeping in mind that it cannot be done alone, it will require planning, execution, persistence, cooperation, energy, and, above all the proper attitude. Setting goals for the Craft, or your lodge, that are realistic over a defined period of time requires agreement with successors to carry on what you, yourself, may have started. Continuity is essential, and, when the goal is achieved, all participants share in the accomplishment. If the thought of personal glory is in mind, then the self-serving nature of the objective will disrupt the pursuit.

MAKE IT HAPPEN - Lip service to any idea is useless. All the ideas in the world won't change anything if someone does not make it happen. Initiative is required to make things happen. Many ideas are brought to the table. Some are acted upon by the idea persons themselves. Others, when agreed that it is a "good idea", are delegated to the proficient in that field. In other words, you would not have a veterinarian tune up your car. Making things happen requires leadership, direction, monitoring and the assessment of the progress and results. This, by itself, is an awesome task, but it is part of the idea of making it happen.

PULL TOGETHER - No two people are alike. This is true whether it be in Freemasonry or any field of endeavour you wish to consider. Attempting by yourself, to accomplish something that affects many, is virtually impossible. Try raising the wall of a barn by yourself. Pulling together in a common objective makes the task easier for everyone. With all of the tools at our disposal in this Craft of ours, surely a united effort can yield positive results. Considering and understanding the thoughts or ideas of others may, initially, be objectionable or unacceptable. However, exploring and discussing them, in most cases, brings about a meeting of the minds and a resolution that the formerly opposed individuals can live with and act upon. Expanding this concept to a larger group, viz. your lodge members, fosters a united front by which implementation can be achieved. If agreement becomes too difficult to attain, then it is time to exit graciously and enlist others who may be more receptive to the idea or who may have a rationale that appeases your initial adversary. Here, again, persistence is a necessary quality if the idea is worth pursuing, and only with the assistance of others all pulling together, can the desired result be realized.

SEIZE THE DAY - What do you do when you wake up in the morning? Each day is different, but you still think you are the same individual. You're not. Today, you are a different person than you were yesterday. Make the most of the day. Seize it. Life is too short. You are a Freemason. You are concerned about your loved ones, your friends, your neighbours, your community, your lodge, your Grand Lodge, but not yourself. Prioritize your day and do something about these concerns. Action is the key. If you do nothing, you will have the same concerns or problems tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. If this continues, they won't be concerns or problems anymore, or they could become seemingly insurmountable issues. Each day is valuable and a gift. It ought to be seized and exploited.

DO IT NOW - He who hesitates is lost. Leaders make decisions. They could be right or they could be wrong, but they make a decision. Decisions are usually made after considering all possibilities and alternatives, but more than likely after obtaining counsel or opinions from other sources. But, once the decision is made, it is time to take action and get the job done.  No hesitation, do it now. If the opportunity to implement the plan is there, take it. From the decision process we devise a plan and the timing of the implementation of the plan. Follow up is required to see that the time to act is not overlooked. This scene can be related to the simplest of all things that go on in our lodges - filling the chairs for a meeting. The Master, the leader of the lodge, is ultimately the person to ensure that this task is done. Hopefully, he has competent brethren to whom he has delegated this task. If not, he must act to see that the chairs are properly occupied, and he must do it now. Otherwise, he is left with the confusion that results prior to his meeting, and hampers his attempts to run a good meeting.

And finally, brethren, MAKE A DIFFERENCE - We can all make a difference. It may require a little soul searching but that is what Masons do. We, in this room, have made a difference because we chose to try and contribute to our jurisdictions. Whether or not we will be successful, time will tell. Masonry isn't dead. It is going through a period of reconnaissance. We have looked at our beautiful history, our time honoured traditions, ritual, and landmarks, and, maybe dwelled too long on them. This is not meant to advocate infringement or desecration, but to suggest modification, embellishment, modernization or improvement to a more contemporary acceptance of the same. To sit idly by and watch the declining interest in the Craft, particularly those we might wish to embrace as members, will not promote this beloved fraternity. "Our way of doing things is a product of centuries of experience". Those centuries of experience were not without changes. The Craft has evolved to where we are today through change. We all know that and history will record it if We Made a Difference.

RWBro Clay Munz presented this paper when he was Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba in 2002.